31 children admitted to hospital last tear after swallowing different objects

The number of cases of children swallowing objects has increased, according to statistics of the Mother and Child Center. Last year, 31 children received emergency medical care after swallowing things, by four more than a year earlier. The children aged between one year and a half and six years are most often involved in such cases. They swallow mostly coins, buttons, seeds, small batteries, toy parts, etc. Valentina Rashkov, head of the Center’s Endoscopy Section, said that some of the children never recover fully after difficult surgeries and long periods of treatment. “One child had his esophagus replaced with a part of the intestine after he swallowed a round battery used in remote controls, clocks and toys. Another child had his appendix removed after he swallowed a needle. Such cases are not single,” she stated. According to Valentina Rashkov, the toys with small magnetized parts pose an increased danger to children. “It is very hard to extract them. Furthermore, when they get into the body, they start to eliminate an alkaline substance that is very dangerous. The batteries can cause perforations and peritonitis and surgeries are needed in some cases,” stated the doctor. She also said that the parents should suspect swallowing of objects if the child coughs for several days in a row without being cold or infected, except for under-febrile temperature. “Radiography or bronchoscopy will show if the child swallowed or breathed something in. That’s why it is very important to see a doctor,” she stated. Valentina Rashkov also said that the main methods for preventing such cases is to make the toys and other small objects that can be disassembled inaccessible to children and to keep the children under supervision.