What to do if your child eats a coin

Coins are a very common form of currency in our daily lives. Because they are made of metal, they are not easily worn or damaged, so their circulation life is longer than that of banknotes. Coins are small and easy to carry and use. Because the coins are very small, families with children must keep them carefully. Children always put small parts and other things in their mouths, which is very dangerous. What should you do if your child eats the coin?

Once you find that your baby has accidentally swallowed a coin, immediately pay attention to whether the baby has obvious symptoms of breath holding, difficulty breathing, or purple lips. If so, it is the worst case scenario, the coin has entered the airway and got stuck there. This situation can be very dangerous and the baby may suffocate at any time.

In this situation, as long as there are people around you, you should call 120 immediately to call a taxi. Then grab the baby's feet, lift the baby upside down with head down, and pat the back of the baby's chest hard. Generally, hard objects that enter the airway can be coughed out using this method.

If the baby does not look seriously hurt, is not in any pain, and has no difficulty breathing, then the coin has entered the esophagus. Experts remind that if it enters the esophagus, you must never induce vomiting in your baby! First, it is not certain that the baby can spit it out; second, the baby is small after all, and will cry when spitting. The crying and inhaling will instead suck some things into the airway and cause more serious damage.

Then determine the value of the coin that the baby swallowed. For example, the new version of the 10-cent and 50-cent coins are relatively smaller, so the possibility of problems will be less, while the one-yuan and old version of the 10-cent coins are relatively larger, and are more likely to have another problem. Then take your baby to the hospital immediately.

Take a picture first to confirm where the coin is. If the coin is already in the stomach and it is a relatively small coin of about 50 cents or 10 cents, then you can go home and let your baby eat more leeks. Leeks are the best thing because they are full of fiber and can help expel the coin very well. Eat more bananas and other bowel-lubricating foods, as well as coarse foods such as corn, sweet potatoes, etc. Coarse foods can enhance the baby's gastrointestinal function and promote excretion. Generally, coins can be excreted on the second or third day. During these days, the mother must pay close attention to the baby's poop so that she doesn't notice it.

If the X-ray shows that the coin is stuck in the esophagus, give the baby something to eat to help the coin go down. During those days, be sure to give your baby more bowel-clearing foods. Pay attention to whether your baby's belly is bloated and hard. If so, seek medical attention immediately.

If the coin is relatively large, go to a large hospital as soon as possible and have it removed using a pediatric gastroscope. Generally, children over 6 years old can expel a one-yuan coin on their own if they swallow it. If it is stuck in the throat or esophagus, it is more dangerous, but the throat of children aged 1-3 years old is narrow, making it more difficult to remove. In addition, the rough edges of the five-cent coin can easily scratch the esophagus.

Special reminder: If you swallow a sharp, irregular foreign body, even if you do not feel any discomfort, you should not wait and observe, but should immediately remove it by gastroscopy or surgery.