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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Swallowing Of Coin.

Sir, can you tell me what needs to be done when a child 1-2 years old swallows a coin?
Thu, 15 Oct 2009
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A child that young, the coins or button batteries get lodged in the cricopharynx. If they have passed the pharynx, pass all the way through the gastrointestinal tract. Since these structures are very narrow there is no place for the coin to travel further. Put the child on your lap with the head facing the floor/ down. Then pat on the back between the two scapulae/the two bones projecting out on the back. Gently give 3-4 thrusts there and see if the child is comfortable. The other maneuver is trying to put the child on her back and applying pressure below her sternum, the bone in the middle of the chest. This can be done by two fingers gently compressing down or with both the thumb trying to hold the child with both your hands around its chest. The pressure needs to be applied in a downward & upward direction. These measure need to be tried only 4-5 times. If the foreign body is not retrieved then medical help must be attained at the earliest. If the person who swallowed the foreign body is doing well, usually an X-ray image will be taken which will show any metal objects, and this will be repeated a few days later to confirm that the object has passed all the way through the digestive system.

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Swallowing Of Coin.

A child that young, the coins or button batteries get lodged in the cricopharynx. If they have passed the pharynx, pass all the way through the gastrointestinal tract. Since these structures are very narrow there is no place for the coin to travel further. Put the child on your lap with the head facing the floor/ down. Then pat on the back between the two scapulae/the two bones projecting out on the back. Gently give 3-4 thrusts there and see if the child is comfortable. The other maneuver is trying to put the child on her back and applying pressure below her sternum, the bone in the middle of the chest. This can be done by two fingers gently compressing down or with both the thumb trying to hold the child with both your hands around its chest. The pressure needs to be applied in a downward & upward direction. These measure need to be tried only 4-5 times. If the foreign body is not retrieved then medical help must be attained at the earliest. If the person who swallowed the foreign body is doing well, usually an X-ray image will be taken which will show any metal objects, and this will be repeated a few days later to confirm that the object has passed all the way through the digestive system.