First aid for a child who has swallowed glass

If a child swallows glass: symptoms

If your baby swallows glass before your eyes, but you didn’t have time to do anything, you need to give him first aid. You should carefully examine the child’s oral cavity and make sure there are no fragments. If pieces of glass are clearly visible and are in an accessible area, they must be carefully removed. Wash your hands first. You should not try to reach fragments located further than the palatoglossus arch, otherwise there is a possibility of worsening the situation.

But sometimes situations arise when a child may swallow glass not in front of his parents, but in this case certain symptoms will help determine the dangerous condition of the child.

• Increased salivation;
• Persistent hiccups;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Refusal to eat food;
• The baby complains of pain in the chest area;
• Wounds are possible in the oral cavity;
• Traces of blood are found in the stool.

What to do if a child swallows glass?

What to do if a child swallows glass? In addition to the fact that it is necessary to remove the existing fragments from the baby’s mouth, you need to call an ambulance or take the child yourself to the nearest hospital. Do not scold or reprimand the baby: he is already very scared, and the child may also feel pain inside. During a medical examination, you should inform the specialist of the size of the fragment and the time of the incident. Depending on the size of the glass, the necessary measures will be taken. Experts disagree: is it worth inducing a gag reflex in a child who has swallowed a piece of glass? Some doctors believe that this is necessary. To do this, press on the root of the tongue. The fragment will come out with saliva and vomit, but the esophagus will not be damaged. Other experts believe that large fragments located inside during vomiting can damage the walls of the stomach or esophagus. Therefore, you should not conduct experiments with an injured baby, but rather wait for qualified specialists. You should also remember that after two to three hours the glass will end up in the intestines. And what should you do if your baby swallows a large shard of glass? In this case, parents cannot do anything to remove it. You should not give your baby a laxative or use an enema - this may worsen the situation. Also, do not give your baby fruits or foods that have a laxative effect. You can feed your child porridge and boiled hard vegetables. Parents need to monitor their baby's stool for three days.

If the glass fragment is small, and first aid was provided promptly and correctly, the foreign object will come out naturally in the near future.

Children are active and inquisitive. They explore their surroundings so quickly that their parents do not always have time to follow them. As babies explore the world, they use all forms of tactile cognition, which is why objects they explore often end up in their mouths. Small and sharp objects are especially dangerous to the health of babies.

From our article you will learn what to do if a child swallows glass. We will tell you what harm a small piece of glass and a large fragment will cause to the health of a young researcher, as well as how to avoid it.

A piece of glass got into the stomach, what NOT to do

The main thing is not to panic and pull out the fragment that is located further than the palatine-lingual arch. This will only cause more damage to the mucous membrane and cause bleeding. Even if you notice that the fragment is small, you should not remain idle.

Try to induce vomiting; if the foreign body does not come out, consult a doctor. If after the first attempt you do not find a fragment, then do not try to induce the gag reflex again.

In this case, it is better to wait for doctors or hospitalize the victim. Check the stool over the course of 3 to 4 days to determine whether glass has passed or not.

It is also prohibited to give the victim laxatives or perform enemas without the knowledge of the doctor. After the incident, it is forbidden to give a person solid food to push through a piece of glass, because then there is a risk of further damage to the walls of the digestive organs. After eating such food, intestinal motility increases.

Sources

https://udipedia.ru/chto-budet-esli-proglotit-steklo/

https://yandex.by/turbo/medtelo.ru/h/travmy/neobhodimye-mery-kogda-proglotil-kusochek-stekla.html

https://snab-complect.ru/esli-steklo-popalo-v-zheludok-kakie-simptomy/

https://vrachinformy. ru/neobhodimye-mery-kogda-proglotil-kusochek-stekla-konsultacii-onlajn-steklo-perevarivaetsja-v-zheludke.html

https://umn doktor.ru/chto-v-zheludok-popadet-steklo-chto-delat-esli-proglotil-oskolok-stekla-nemedlennoe-dejstvie-pri-popadanii-stekla-v-zheludok.html

Is there any danger

Regardless of the circumstances under which your child swallowed glass, adults should remain calm. Remember that the baby is already scared and confused, and your reproaches will further aggravate his condition. Therefore, do everything quickly and clearly.

First you need to do 2 important things:

1. Place the small patient on his back and check for foreign objects or debris in his mouth;
2. Call an ambulance or take your baby to the hospital yourself. There, doctors will assess the criticality of the situation and choose treatment tactics.

You should definitely contact a doctor, regardless of whether you saw your baby swallow glass or not. After all, if it is already swallowed, the walls of the stomach and intestines may be damaged.

After examining the area of ​​the child's oral cavity, remove all glass shards visible to the eye. Pay attention to the condition of the mucous membrane: is blood visible, cuts. If an adult finds only a large fragment that is clearly visible to the eye, you need to carefully pull it out. However, this does not mean that a visit to the doctor can be cancelled.

Danger Signals

If a child swallows glass in the presence of an adult, emergency treatment should be sought immediately. Examine the condition of the child's oral cavity for the presence of dangerous fragments and remove them.

You can only remove glass yourself if it is within sight. If the fragment is stuck behind the palatal arch, only medical professionals can be trusted to remove it.

However, little fidgets often engage in research activities without adult supervision. Therefore, a dangerous incident may go unnoticed.

Let's consider what symptomatic signs should alert parents, indicating the deteriorating condition of a child who has swallowed glass.

• Continuous copious secretion of saliva;
• Persistent hiccups;
• Vomiting, nausea;
• Vomiting with blood streaks;
• Complete refusal to eat;
• Stitching or cutting pain in the chest area;
• After bowel movements, dark or bright red blood is clearly visible in the stool;
• Manifestations of symptoms of suffocation.

These symptoms are signs of many diseases. However, their appearance indicates serious problems in the little patient’s body. Therefore, if they occur, you should immediately seek medical help.

Treatment tactics

In a medical facility, treatment is prescribed only after examination and hardware diagnostics. Treatment is carried out in one of 2 ways:

• Observation;
• Surgical intervention.

The observation method is used most often. It consists of “stimulating” the body to quickly “exit” the foreign body. The goal of such treatment is to prevent and prevent complications by immediately responding to their possible occurrence.

In emergency situations, the child is prescribed surgical intervention. Its implementation is justified by the appearance of the following alarming symptoms:

• A sharp deterioration in the functioning of the respiratory system;
• Poor “movement” of a dangerous fragment throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

Let's consider what types of surgical intervention are indicated in such a situation.

Specifics of surgery

If the sharp object is “located” no lower than the duodenum, then treatment is carried out using endoscopy. Using an endoscope, a “loop,” “basket,” or “clamp” is inserted through the child’s mouth. These devices help remove or push the fragment out.

After the procedure, a mandatory repeated hardware examination is carried out. If the surgery was successful, the little patient is prescribed a laxative. After a few days of observation, he can go home.

Remember!

The technique is used only when no more than 3 hours have passed since the glass was swallowed.

The location of a sharp object below the duodenum is an indication for radiography. In this case, the use of laxatives is strictly prohibited!

If the baby experiences severe pain, has incessant vomiting, body temperature has increased, bleeding has appeared, a laparotomy is used. For surgical intervention, the doctor only needs to make minimal “holes” into which the laparoscope is inserted.

Abdominal surgery is used extremely rarely. It is carried out only after determining the location, size and position of the glass.

A sharp object rarely “crosses” the boundaries of the cecum and sigmoid colon. However, if this occurs, the use of a colonoscope is indicated. This is the name of the device, at the end of which there is a miniature camera. It is injected into the baby's rectum. The rectal examination procedure lasts about 45 minutes.

For the convenience of medical procedures, the child is dressed in a loose hospital gown. If necessary, use a dropper with sedatives and analgesics.

To ensure full visibility of the condition of the duodenum, air is pumped into the intestine simultaneously with the introduction of a mini-camera. This opens up a larger lumen of the organ and makes the path of camera advancement easier.

The image obtained using the camera is transmitted to the computer screen. Once the location of the fragment is discovered, the glass is removed.

Growing children require special attention. Therefore, parents should ensure constant monitoring of them. You should avoid buying glass or thin plastic items that break easily. Properly selected toys reduce the risk of developing dangerous injuries significantly.

Source

When you open glass bottles or jars with hard metal objects, corkscrews, openers, forks or knives, pieces of glass can break off the neck and enter the contents of the jar and then into the body. This also happens in cases where you come across low-quality dishes that have been defective.

How to help

Providing first aid to a child depends on the size and location of the glass, as well as the degree of damage. Pre-medical care for a child is based on specific actions that are used depending on the severity of the situation.

Let's consider the typical manifestations of symptoms and the algorithm of actions of parents before the arrival of medical workers.

Mild severity

We have already said that a fragment located in the visibility zone can be removed independently. If an adult fails to do this the first time, you need to induce a gag reflex in a small patient. To do this, the adult carefully places a small spoon or his own finger into the baby’s open mouth. Then use the tip of a finger or a spoon to press on the root of the tongue. This method of “help” will cause vomiting.

In the hospital, you need to conduct an ultrasound examination, which will reveal the location and size of a foreign sharp object. If necessary, diagnostics are supplemented with other hardware methods.

If the time of ingestion of glass by the young researcher is not identified, similar studies are carried out in a medical institution. The little patient is monitored around the clock (this is done by the parents) so that if dangerous symptoms appear, they can immediately begin to relieve them. Foreign objects move into the intestines within 2-3 hours. If no dangerous signs are identified within 2-3 days, it means that the fragments came out of the body with feces.

Glass is not a contrast object, so x-rays will not be able to detect it. The use of this diagnosis in this case is pointless.

For three days you should monitor the child and the quality of food he eats. A sharp foreign object in the esophagus will “come out” more easily if the baby adheres to the following diet:

• Liquid porridges that envelop the stomach;
• Vegetable decoctions;
• Grated boiled vegetables;
• Yoghurts;
• Kissel.

These drinks and food envelop the gastrointestinal tract and relieve tension from the esophagus. This effect on the body allows the sharp object to easily pass to the “exit” without injuring the organs.

The use of laxatives or cleansing enemas is prohibited! Also, the patient should not be given solid foods that can cause intestinal peristalsis.

Severe degree

One of the most dangerous scenarios is glass getting into the trachea. It is this location of the dangerous fragment that causes an attack of suffocation and severe pain. Therefore, the glass must be removed. This is done in 2 ways.

1). Heimlich method.

• The child stands with his back to the adult;
• One of the parents stands behind the child;
• She wraps her arms around him;
• One hand, folded into a fist, fixes the stomach;
• The second hand is placed on top of the first;
• Strong rhythmic pressure is applied to the baby's stomach;
• After the action is completed, the fragment should “come out” of the trachea.

If the first option of “pushing” the glass does not bring results, put the child down or sit up. From the starting position, grab him by the legs and turn him upside down. Okay, but shake the baby without fanaticism. Ask him to take a deep breath.

If a young patient is bleeding from the mouth, these emergency actions cannot be performed! In any case, it is recommended to consult with an emergency dispatcher before using them.

A piece of glass got into the stomach first aid

Be sure to call an ambulance so that doctors can assess the severity of the injury and choose a treatment strategy. The tactics of action depend on the size, location of the fragment, as well as the degree of damage to the walls of the digestive organs. What to do if a child or adult swallows a piece of glass:

• If the injury is mild, when the fragment is in sight, it can be carefully pulled out. If you fail to do this, try inducing vomiting. To do this, press with your finger or a spoon on the root of the tongue. Then the foreign object will come out along with the vomit. In this case, the walls of the esophagus are not damaged. After this, you need to hospitalize the patient in a hospital and conduct an ultrasound or other instrumental studies to check their condition.
• If you notice that the victim has swallowed a small fragment, then follow the same plan. And after providing assistance, be sure to visit a doctor.
• The situation is aggravated if the time of ingestion of a foreign object is unknown. Approximately 2 - 3 hours after the incident, the glass descends into the intestines. In this case, you will not be able to remove it yourself.

You need to immediately call an ambulance, and you should also tell the doctors at least the approximate time when the person swallowed the fragment. Doctors prescribe ultrasound or other hardware methods and monitor the patient’s condition.

If there are no dangerous signs within 2 to 3 days after the incident, then most likely the glass has already passed out along with the feces. The most dangerous situation is when glass penetrates the trachea. This can cause suffocation and severe pain. In this case, you need to urgently get the fragment out. If a person is bleeding from the mouth, then using the methods described below is strictly contraindicated! In this case, the victim must be hospitalized immediately.

Features of the structure of the esophagus

The gastrointestinal tract is a long, flexible muscular tube. If a person swallows food, the muscles contract and push the food further. Indigestible edible substances and inedible objects pass through the tract unchanged.

Man-made substances (iron, glass, plastic) do not change in the intestinal tract, so swallowing these items is risky.

What happens if you eat glass?

The risk of foreign bodies entering the body cannot be excluded. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? The entire danger depends on its shape and volume. Sharp pieces of glass can cause organ damage. What happens if you eat a piece of glass with pointed ends? Minor tissue puncture and mild bleeding in the intestinal tract may occur. Blood can be found in a fecal test.

But what happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with food? Once food is swallowed, it quickly passes through the esophagus into the stomach. In a narrow section of the stomach there is an outlet, the pylorus. Pieces that are too large cannot come out through it. They remain in the stomach. The doctor is able to remove pieces through the mouth using a flexible device - an endoscope. Anything that gets past the gatekeeper is unlikely to cause problems.

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Swallowing small pieces with sharp ends seems more dangerous. They can cut through tissue and cause infection.

Symptoms of swallowing an unsafe object

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with water, because the oral cavity and the human tongue are very sensitive? Usually a person has time to identify foreign bodies before swallowing.

However, children sometimes taste different things and drinks and may swallow unwanted objects. Father and mother can immediately find out that their child has swallowed an object hazardous to health. A number of signs indicate that the child has swallowed a small piece of glass.

• vomit;
• salivation;
• stomach ache;
• difficulty swallowing;
• change in stool;
• strange sounds in the stomach.

If any of these signs occur, the child should be immediately shown to a doctor or an ambulance should be called. Small pieces from bottles and glasses are not so easy to see on x-ray. If there is no severe acute pain, doctors wait 24 hours for the fragments to come out completely on their own.

What is the threat to children?

There is a health hazard if a child swallows a splinter. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Little explorers are curious, and the best way to analyze surrounding objects is to taste them. Glass objects are often the subject of study. In this case, you need to know what the risk of swallowing glass is. The outcome of the situation depends on the characteristics, shape and surface of the element. The child can eat a piece of the glass. So, what happens if you swallow a piece of glass from a glass? It gets stuck in the esophagus and can damage it. If the object is evenly shaped (for example, balls), you can consider yourself lucky. The danger is limited to the usual getting stuck in the stomach, and damage can be ruled out. There is no need to worry, because there are a number of methods with which you can free yourself from a stuck object. The most important thing is to act quickly, especially if the situation has formed in full view of the parents.

Recommendations for parents of young children

The situation when a child swallows glass is very dangerous. It is worth teaching children to chew their food thoroughly. But when we are talking about a small age, it is difficult to predict and warn everything.

The baby strives to explore the world, and this happens with the help of his mouth as well. The child needs to smell, touch and preferably lick an interesting thing that he has not seen before.

To minimize risks, you should:

• Do not leave the child unattended . When the dangerous period of crawling and first steps begins, the desire to master the world around us is most acute. Parents should find the time and opportunity to be close to their children and make sure that no foreign objects get into the baby’s mouth;
• Do not feed from glass containers . Despite their hygiene, glasses and bowls, even with a microcrack, will become dangerous for a child. And a tongue cut is the most harmless of them;
• Remove glass objects from ?

What to do if your baby eats a splinter?

What to do if you swallow a small piece of glass? If a child has eaten glass, the most important thing is to remain calm and not panic. A similar situation can happen to anyone, so it is important to act quickly and clearly.

Firstly, you can carefully remove the visible part of the object yourself, and secondly, you need to call an ambulance. There is no need to leave everything to chance, since a piece that gets inside the body can cause serious consequences. Small pieces can be directly removed, but even these can touch internal organs. If the piece is large, it can get stuck in the stomach for a long time. In this case, you cannot do without surgery.

Immediate action if glass enters the stomach

If a person immediately notices swallowing glass, then it is best to induce vomiting. The piece will be quickly removed from the body with food and mucus, without causing much damage. If this happens to a child, vomiting must be induced artificially by pressing on the root of the tongue.

After this, even after making sure that the fragment has come out, you need to contact the doctor, describing the situation. He will give advice for subsequent actions and prescribe a study that will detect defects in internal organs, if any.

1. If the glass does not come out with vomiting, you must immediately call an ambulance, outlining the situation, and prepare for hospitalization.
2. If it took more than 2 hours, the parts could have time to move into the intestinal tract and worsen the situation. Then only a highly qualified doctor will decide what to do, who should be informed as clearly as possible about the size of the fragment and the time of the accident.
3. X-rays are often ineffective in such situations, since the glass in its reflections does not contrast.
4. You shouldn’t count on the fact that the fragment is very small and sit at home until it comes out naturally.
5. The use of laxatives and enemas is also not recommended without medical examination.
6. If the fragment does not go immediately after vomiting, secondary efforts can be dangerous, therefore, calling a doctor and waiting for an ambulance to arrive would be preferable.
7. A lot of activity during this period is also harmful, since every movement can provoke internal injuries.

Small pieces often actually leave the body naturally, causing virtually no inconvenience to their owner. However, you should not count on this, since ignoring it in this case threatens severe injuries and even death.

Actions of doctors in a hospital

Upon arrival at the emergency department, the child is examined by doctors and the necessary procedures are prescribed:

• X-ray;
• endoscopy;
• ultrasound examination.

You should know that x-rays cannot detect plastic or wooden objects. Thus, if a child swallows such a ball, the device simply will not show it due to the texture of the material.

Based on the examination data, the doctor determines the presence of a foreign object and leaves the baby in the hospital until the little patient can remove the foreign body. Most often this takes no more than a few days. For this, a laxative is prescribed.

In situations where immediate removal of a foreign object from the gastrointestinal tract is required, an endoscopic method of therapy is used. This is possible if the object is located no lower than the duodenum, where the endoscope can actually reach. Removal of a foreign body is carried out using a special loop and other medical instruments.

If it is possible to move a foreign body using this device, the child is given a laxative to quickly remove it from the body. If the above measures do not give the desired result, it is not possible to do without surgery. In this case, laparoscopic surgery is used, which avoids making large incisions and reduces the risks of possible complications and injuries. But the final type of surgical intervention is determined by the doctor, taking as a basis the test data and the location of the foreign object, as well as its size and shape.

Recommendations

Small children often swallow glass accidentally. In order to avoid the penetration of glass into the body, you should carefully monitor the child. It is not recommended to allow glass objects to be used for games. Such accessories should be kept out of the reach of children. Parents are required to wean their child from holding various objects in his mouth.

To prevent your child from accidentally falling on glass objects, the following rules should be followed:

• We must not forget fragile products in the child’s field of view;
• remove all breakable decorative items from the reach of children;
• if a glass object is broken, protect the child by keeping it away from the broken glass and carefully collect everything;
• follow your child while walking outside;
• do not leave the baby alone for a long time;
• Do not feed from glass containers.

Further actions after the fragment has come out

It is important to carefully monitor your well-being after the piece of glass has left the body. Parents should adjust the child's diet. For a week after the incident, you need to adhere to a special diet. The menu for the victim is drawn up by the doctor; it usually includes the following dishes:

• Liquid porridges that envelop the walls of the stomach,
• Soups and vegetable broths,
• Puree of boiled vegetables,
• Natural yoghurts,
• Kissel.