5-year-old boy hospitalized after foot shaker fell into stomach

Recently, Dr. Duong Anh Dung, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the hospital had just received a 5-year-old patient who was brought to the emergency room by his mother because he had swallowed a foreign object in his digestive tract.

According to information, the child took off the anklet and put it in his mouth to play with during nap time. After that, the child felt stuck, had difficulty breathing, cried and told the teacher that he had swallowed the anklet. The family received the notice and immediately took the child to the emergency room. X-ray images showed a metal mass stuck in the stomach. The family transferred the child to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment.

Doctor Anh Dung examines a child patient before discharge. (Photo courtesy of BVCC).

Dr. Duong Anh Dung, Department of Pediatrics, said that the patient's stomach endoscopy image showed a metal wire, 0.5 cm in diameter, 20 cm long with a complex spiral design, which could damage or perforate the stomach. The girl was anesthetized by doctors at the Endoscopy and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center to remove the foreign object after 6 hours of swallowing. The removed anklet was still intact, without causing scratches to the esophagus or stomach. The baby's health is currently stable.

The baby’s mother said she had been letting her baby wear earrings and anklets for many years. The mother had tied the round earrings in place with thread, but she had forgotten to take off the anklets for cleaning. After the incident, the mother was very scared and no longer intended to let her baby wear any jewelry.

According to Dr. Dung, foreign bodies in the digestive tract are common in young children, especially children from 6 months to 5 years old, who, out of curiosity and hyperactivity, accidentally swallow things that are not food or are not focused when eating, so they swallow seeds, fish bones, etc.

Small foreign objects can easily pass through the throat, esophagus into the stomach thanks to the swallowing reflex. Then, they move along the digestive tract thanks to the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines, and can be pushed out of the anus. If the structure is complex or sharp, it can get stuck in the esophagus, stomach and intestines. At this time, the doctor needs to perform endoscopic surgery to remove it. In cases where the foreign object is too large or has caused serious complications, open surgery may be required.

Previously, Tam Anh Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City received many cases of children in kindergartens and preschools swallowing foreign objects, such as buttons, necklaces, bracelets, hairpins, etc. There was a case of a 4-year-old child swallowing cotton from a teddy bear, leading to intestinal obstruction and requiring open surgery. Relatives said that when the child was in kindergarten, the family sent a small teddy bear to hug during naps. After the child went to the emergency room, the family checked and found that the teddy bear had a tear and was missing half of the stuffing.

The hospital once received a case of a 4-year-old girl who swallowed cotton from a teddy bear, leading to intestinal obstruction. (Photo courtesy of BVCC).

Children who swallow foreign objects have different warning signs, depending on the location. If they are stuck in the esophagus, they will experience pain when swallowing, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, and fussiness while eating. If they are stuck in the stomach, they will experience abdominal pain, fussiness, nausea, and indigestion. If they are stuck in the intestines, they may experience intestinal obstruction, causing severe abdominal pain, vomiting, inability to defecate, and bloating.

To prevent this situation, Dr. Dung recommends that parents with preschool-age children should limit wearing jewelry such as earrings, bracelets, anklets, and hairpins. Choose simple clothes, and limit wearing many buttons, beads, and chains. Teach children to chew food thoroughly and explain to them the dangers of sucking on toys. Limit giving children small toys with many details.

Le Trang

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lac-chan-lot-vao-da-day-be-5-tuoi-phai-nhap-vien-cap-cuu-post274283.html