Daughter swallowed a luggage key

[stacy2197]

My daughter swaloowed a luggage key do you think I need to take her to the doctor. She is 8 and is constantly putting things in her mouth. She is worse than a toddler. Anyways my husband thinks I should take her right now and they could pull it out. I think that would tramatize my overly sensitive kid. I would think it would just pass. Advice?

 

[kpm76]

I would at least call the Dr right away. I would not wait for something like that to just pass without speaking to the Dr.

 

[RitaZ.]

My daughter swaloowed a luggage key do you think I need to take her to the doctor. She is 8 and is constantly putting things in her mouth. She is worse than a toddler. Anyways my husband thinks I should take her right now and they could pull it out. I think that would tramatize my overly sensitive kid. I would think it would just pass. Advice?

I doubt they can "pull it out". I would consult with your pediatrician to be on the safe side.

Good luck! Children sure know how to keep our adrenaline running, don't they?

 

[Snow_White]

I would think letting it pass would be easier than "pulling it out" since it will probably be out of the stomach very soon (how would it be pulled out of her intestines anyway?). I would ask your doctor in the morning though just to be safe.

 

[Hannathy]

When I worked in the ER the only thing they worried about was a battery because of the acid when it corroded. Something that small will probably pass right through. Possibly the embarrassment of "looking" for it will break her of putting things in her mouth. Unless it was very sharp I seriously doubt the traumatize a child with an endoscope for a tiny key. I would just watch her and if she had bad stomach pains then call the DR. I'd also increase the fiber for a few days.

 

[crazyme5kids]

My son swallowed the antenna from his cell phone, he was a teen not a kid . Dummy. I kept waiting for the run to the emergency room, but that never happened.

The key is tiny so chances are it will pass, but I guess you should speak to the Dr to see what he or she advises.

 

[Beth76]

When I worked in the ER the only thing they worried about was a battery because of the acid when it corroded.

That's exactly what I was told by the nurse. Have her eat some bread to make sure the key goes all the way down to her stomach. Of course you can call your doctor if you would feel better.

 

[stacy2197]

It wasn't sharp at all just one of those realy gereric luggage keys. I think I'll just keep an eye on her for now. Maybe call her doctor in the morning. Thanks

 

[scanmom]

Don't worry, it will pass, probably without you noticing it!! If she starts having severe abdominal pain, I would take her to the ER, but if she is acting like she is fine, then she is.
I work in a hospital, as an x-ray tech, and an ultrasound tech. We do xrays all the time on kids that swallow all kinds of things. If the object is small, not too sharp, and there is no pain, they will just let it pass.
That reminds me that last weekend a 40 year old man came in that had swallowed 3 nails... long ones! He had swallowed 2 nails in august, had surgery to remove them, and now is right back!!! some people are very hard to figure out... he was sent to surgery again, and he will be admitted to "the pavilion" once he is ready for discharge. The pavilion is what our hospital calls the psych unit!!! hope he gets the help he needs!!

 

[clh2]

please call your pediatrician's office, and see what they recommend. If they don't have a 24-hour on call office where you can get an answer - see if a local hospital, or your nearest children's hospital has a call-in triage area.

 

[BuffettFan]

When my daughter was 3 she swallowed a nickel.
She is my oldest, so of course we went right to the ER. (It was after hours)
Well the childrens hospital is an hour away. When we got there tehy took us right in. When they did the xrays, the nickel had already passed out of stomach, and into the intestines. So there would have been no "getting it out". It passed the next morning without any trauma.
It's just a fun story to tell her (now) teenage friends !!

 

[manning]

Seems like the doctor would know best!!

 

[SplshMtn99]

I have no idea in your case but it reminded of something. My mom suspected my brother of taking lots of St Joseph's baby aspirin because she found the bottle opened & almost empty. (This was decades ago). Well, a trip to the ER to have his stomach pumped ensured that he would NEVER do that again....or do it a first time if he hadn't taken them.

At 8 yrs old, maybe a little trauma would teach her to stop putting things into her mouth.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

At 8 yrs old, maybe a little trauma would teach her to stop putting things into her mouth.

I like the way you think.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I like the way you think.

Maybe its a good thing I don't have kids. I don't think like most parents today.

 

[dansamy]

They would "pull it out" with an endoscope, which is an instrument that is feed down your esophagus. It has a light and a camera and a few instruments available to aid in grabbing/removing objects. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is the correct term for the procedure. They numb the back of your throat with lidocaine spray, dope you up with versed and the doctor's choice of narcotic and go to town. You'll be awake, but sleepy and with the versed, you won't give a hoot what they're doing and won't remember most of it anyway.

 

[CEDmom]

Personally I'd take her to the doctor not to get the key out but to discuss why she keeps putting non food items in her mouth. I have an 8 yo DD and if she did that kind of thing I would be really worried there was something more going on. That just isn't typical behavior for a child that old.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

My dear, your child will not be traumatized by going to the doctor. Come on, now. I'd say take her and put a little fear into her. Maybe she will keep things out of her mouth after that.

 

[Freyja]

LOL. Too funny. The thread right above this one (at the moment) is: What do you think causes child obesity?

But seriously, I would call the doctor and hear what he has to say. Hope your DD will be fine.

 

[KimAshton]

When my daughter was 3 she swallowed a nickel.
She is my oldest, so of course we went right to the ER. (It was after hours)
Well the childrens hospital is an hour away. When we got there tehy took us right in. When they did the xrays, the nickel had already passed out of stomach, and into the intestines. So there would have been no "getting it out". It passed the next morning without any trauma.
It's just a fun story to tell her (now) teenage friends !!

Now it's a blackmail story. LOL.