Probably, I was lucky. My son has an extremely selective taste, and during his infancy I was sure: even if I force him, he will never pull anything inedible into his mouth (and not very edible, but that's another story). But I remember well the fear of my friend, whose three-year-old daughter was swallowed by a magnet: "Small, round, from a souvenir," explains Christina. - I took it off the refrigerator and played. The magnet has come unstuck, and it is in his mouth. "A small remark for those parents who will now say that children should be looked after. Mom was sitting next to her daughter at that moment. But all this happened so lightning-fast - five seconds, and there is no magnet, that she did not have time to react. "We went to the hospital, took an X-ray, saw that he was eating in his stomach," recalls Christina. - The doctor said, three days to watch, will come out with a chair. If not, again on the X-ray and on the situation. With any deterioration, it is urgent to go to the hospital. "
Photo:GettyImagesThis story ended peacefully, along with another trip to the toilet. However, like the other one, with a swallowed rubber button, and the third one - with a coin. And here is another one, with a small round battery, ended with the intervention of specialists from the endoscopy department. "It is surprising, but as responsible as parents are, they are also careless," says endoscopist Andrei Rodionov. - They think that nothing like this will ever happen to their child, they condemn other irresponsible mothers. And then they themselves rush to the hospital. Doctors say: there are several cases when you should seek help without delay. "The worst thing is when a child swallows a battery, sharp objects or glass," says the doctor. - In the first case, this threatens a chemical burn of the mucous membrane, in the second - damage and inflammation. - Coins, magnets, various metal objects also require observation. Especially if two or three magnets got into the stomach at once (such cases became frequent after magnetic construction sets with small balls came into fashion). If the baby swallowed a rubber button, a piece of fabric, a plastic button, a construction set part, cellophane - this is, of course, unpleasant, but not dangerous. And then there are parents who panic even because of a swallowed cherry pit. How to protect yourself? Elementary. 1. Make sure that there are no dangerous objects in the child's access zone. Right now, get up, walk around the apartment and put the following things out of reach of naughty little hands: - coins - small round batteries - magnets (the ones on the refrigerator, just hang them higher) - needles, pins, buttons - nuts, bolts, screws, nails - foil - glass objects - paper clips, toothpicks - a chain to which tags are attached - hydrogel beads for an aquarium (very dangerous!) - earrings, rings and other small jewelry - household chemicals. 2. Still, pay attention to the age indicated on the packaging of children's games and toys. And if it says there about small parts and children under three years old, follow it. Because doctors regularly hear about swallowed chips and dice, as well as small parts of Lego. 3. Don't think that if you can never swallow "this" or even put it in your mouth, your child won't be able to either. Among the "trophies" that doctors have encountered, there is even polyurethane foam!
