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0 / 29 Fotos
What’s a foreign object?
- A foreign object is something that is not supposed to be in the body. Essentially, this refers to anything other than food, (i.e. plastic, metal, glass, etc.).
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
Who’s at risk?
- Anyone can swallow a foreign object by accident, but children under three are more at risk than other age groups.
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2 / 29 Fotos
Children are at risk
- Because children explore the world with their senses, they’re more likely to become curious and swallow objects. In fact, one study suggests that “20% of children between the ages of one to three have swallowed a non-food item.”
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3 / 29 Fotos
Children are at risk
- Research also shows that children under five are responsible for the majority of all reported cases of swallowed foreign objects.
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4 / 29 Fotos
What kind of foreign objects do people swallow by accident?
- The list is quite vast, especially when it comes to toddlers. Objects include coins, buttons, marbles, crayons, toys, and rocks.
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5 / 29 Fotos
What kind of foreign objects do people swallow by accident?
- It’s not uncommon for other objects, such as nails, screws, pins, magnets, and even small batteries to be swallowed.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- When you swallow a foreign object, it goes through a cycle. It starts in your mouth and then goes through the throat, then moves on to the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum.
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7 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- Rhythmic muscular contractions, known as peristalsis, set the object in motion through the various phases of digestion.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- The object then passes through muscular valves called sphincters. Throughout the entire process, the object can damage tissues or even get stuck.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
Passing objects
- Sometimes, when the object is smooth and small enough, it will pass through the body without a problem. But sharp, large, or irregularly shaped objects may not.
© Shutterstock
10 / 29 Fotos
Passing objects
- Some objects may pass within a few days, but others can actually take weeks until they find a way out of your body.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- After swallowing a foreign object, symptoms may occur immediately or take some time to manifest. Coughing or gagging are among the first symptoms that may occur.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- Other symptoms may include troubled or noisy breathing, wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- If the object gets stuck in the esophagus or bowel, other symptoms may occur, including vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and bloody stool, among others.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- In small children, symptoms may also include drooling, persistent crying, and refusal to eat.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
Dangerous objects: batteries
- Button batteries are amongst the most common and dangerous objects swallowed by children, as they can cause chemical burns.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
Dangerous objects: batteries
- Lithium batteries are also very dangerous, as they can generate electrical currents and damage tissue.
© Shutterstock
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Sharp objects
- Sharp objects can really damage the walls of the esophagus. If a wound is deep enough, it may lead to an infection, and, in the worst-case scenario, the development of sepsis.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
Magnets
- Magnets are also dangerous, especially if more than one is swallowed. This is because they can join together or attach to another piece of metal if it was also swallowed. This can pinch the GI tract walls, which might obstruct blood flow and lead to tissue necrosis.
© Shutterstock
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Adults
- While children are the ones most at risk of accidentally eating foreign objects, adults do it, too. One of the most commonly swallowed items are bones (e.g. chicken or fish).
© Shutterstock
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Adults
- Other objects that adults sometimes swallow by mistake are dental appliances, such as crowns or veneers.
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What to do if someone swallows a foreign object
- If you or someone else has swallowed a foreign object, a trip to the emergency room is the best course of action.
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
What to do if someone swallows a foreign object
- Once at the hospital, imaging tests such as X-rays or CT scans can be done to locate the object. This will then determine the treatment.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
Treatment
- While most objects will pass on their own, some need to be manually or surgically removed. This will depend on a number of factors, including the type and size of the object, and where in the body it is at the time it’s detected by diagnostic tests.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Manual extraction
- Esophageal blockages can be very dangerous, so an emergency endoscopy is sometimes performed in an attempt to remove the object, when appropriate.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Surgery
- Surgical removal of objects is rarer, but it’s sometimes required.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
What not to do
- When a person swallows an object, it’s important to seek urgent medical care. But patients and their loved ones are advised to avoid panicking.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
What not to do
- Trying to remove the object yourself, or inducing vomiting, is not recommended. Sources: (Verywell Health) (Healthline) See also: Attention parents—these are the most common childhood illnesses
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
What’s a foreign object?
- A foreign object is something that is not supposed to be in the body. Essentially, this refers to anything other than food, (i.e. plastic, metal, glass, etc.).
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
Who’s at risk?
- Anyone can swallow a foreign object by accident, but children under three are more at risk than other age groups.
© Shutterstock
2 / 29 Fotos
Children are at risk
- Because children explore the world with their senses, they’re more likely to become curious and swallow objects. In fact, one study suggests that “20% of children between the ages of one to three have swallowed a non-food item.”
© Shutterstock
3 / 29 Fotos
Children are at risk
- Research also shows that children under five are responsible for the majority of all reported cases of swallowed foreign objects.
© Shutterstock
4 / 29 Fotos
What kind of foreign objects do people swallow by accident?
- The list is quite vast, especially when it comes to toddlers. Objects include coins, buttons, marbles, crayons, toys, and rocks.
© Shutterstock
5 / 29 Fotos
What kind of foreign objects do people swallow by accident?
- It’s not uncommon for other objects, such as nails, screws, pins, magnets, and even small batteries to be swallowed.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- When you swallow a foreign object, it goes through a cycle. It starts in your mouth and then goes through the throat, then moves on to the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum.
© Shutterstock
7 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- Rhythmic muscular contractions, known as peristalsis, set the object in motion through the various phases of digestion.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
The digestive process
- The object then passes through muscular valves called sphincters. Throughout the entire process, the object can damage tissues or even get stuck.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
Passing objects
- Sometimes, when the object is smooth and small enough, it will pass through the body without a problem. But sharp, large, or irregularly shaped objects may not.
© Shutterstock
10 / 29 Fotos
Passing objects
- Some objects may pass within a few days, but others can actually take weeks until they find a way out of your body.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- After swallowing a foreign object, symptoms may occur immediately or take some time to manifest. Coughing or gagging are among the first symptoms that may occur.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- Other symptoms may include troubled or noisy breathing, wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- If the object gets stuck in the esophagus or bowel, other symptoms may occur, including vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and bloody stool, among others.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
Symptoms
- In small children, symptoms may also include drooling, persistent crying, and refusal to eat.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
Dangerous objects: batteries
- Button batteries are amongst the most common and dangerous objects swallowed by children, as they can cause chemical burns.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
Dangerous objects: batteries
- Lithium batteries are also very dangerous, as they can generate electrical currents and damage tissue.
© Shutterstock
17 / 29 Fotos
Sharp objects
- Sharp objects can really damage the walls of the esophagus. If a wound is deep enough, it may lead to an infection, and, in the worst-case scenario, the development of sepsis.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
Magnets
- Magnets are also dangerous, especially if more than one is swallowed. This is because they can join together or attach to another piece of metal if it was also swallowed. This can pinch the GI tract walls, which might obstruct blood flow and lead to tissue necrosis.
© Shutterstock
19 / 29 Fotos
Adults
- While children are the ones most at risk of accidentally eating foreign objects, adults do it, too. One of the most commonly swallowed items are bones (e.g. chicken or fish).
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
Adults
- Other objects that adults sometimes swallow by mistake are dental appliances, such as crowns or veneers.
© Shutterstock
21 / 29 Fotos
What to do if someone swallows a foreign object
- If you or someone else has swallowed a foreign object, a trip to the emergency room is the best course of action.
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
What to do if someone swallows a foreign object
- Once at the hospital, imaging tests such as X-rays or CT scans can be done to locate the object. This will then determine the treatment.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
Treatment
- While most objects will pass on their own, some need to be manually or surgically removed. This will depend on a number of factors, including the type and size of the object, and where in the body it is at the time it’s detected by diagnostic tests.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Manual extraction
- Esophageal blockages can be very dangerous, so an emergency endoscopy is sometimes performed in an attempt to remove the object, when appropriate.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Surgery
- Surgical removal of objects is rarer, but it’s sometimes required.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
What not to do
- When a person swallows an object, it’s important to seek urgent medical care. But patients and their loved ones are advised to avoid panicking.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
What not to do
- Trying to remove the object yourself, or inducing vomiting, is not recommended. Sources: (Verywell Health) (Healthline) See also: Attention parents—these are the most common childhood illnesses
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
What happens if you accidentally swallow a foreign object?
Both children and adults are at risk
© Shutterstock
Accidental ingestion of a foreign object can happen to anyone. Adults, for instance, may accidentally swallow a dental crown or bones while eating. Young children, on the other hand, are more at risk of accidentally swallowing a wider variety of objects, from coins to batteries, to name a few.
But what happens when an object is swallowed? And what should you do if it happens? In this gallery, we answer these and many more questions. Click on to learn all about it.
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