The batteries, hairpins, thumbtacks, toy parts and other small things can pose a real threat when they are within the reach of small children who are not supervised by adults. The small things can be easily swallowed by children, mainly while playing, out of curiosity. Surgery is often needed in such cases. Sometimes, even after difficult operations and long treatment and recuperation periods, some of the children never recover fully.
Last year, the National Service Aviasan of the Emergency Medicine Institute received 99 requests for assistance. Of these, 67 were cases of swallowing of foreign objects by children. Since the start of 2018, the doctors of Aviasan have dealt with another 11 such cases, IPN reports. The accidents of this type are more frequent among children aged two and three.
Besides coins, buttons and small dismountable parts, the small batteries and magnetized objects are even more dangerous as it is very hard to take this out. When they get inside the body, the batteries eliminate an alkaline substance that is very aggressive for the body and can cause perforations. The magnetized objects stick to each other with tissue between them. To prevent such cases, the small things should be hidden from children.
The children younger than three should not be given to eat food on which they can choke, such as walnut kernel, popcorn, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. While eating, the child should not be allowed to choose what to eat and should not be made to laugh as this can inhale breadcrumbs.
In emergencies, adults should immediately call 903.
