What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass: symptoms, consequences, first aid, medical advice

Pieces of glass often end up in drinks if you are not careful when opening bottles with a corkscrew. Sometimes the store has a defective bottle with small pieces of glass at the bottom. Small children may swallow a piece of broken glass from a Christmas tree decoration. How risky is this for life? People sometimes accidentally swallow pieces of glass. This material is extremely strong and will not be digested in the stomach. In addition, the fragments have dangerous sharp edges. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? What to do: rush to the hospital or try home remedies?

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.

Not recommended actions when providing assistance

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.

Excessive physical activity after swallowing glass is also contraindicated. This is due to the fact that with excessive activity, fragments can damage the walls of the digestive organs. Therefore, it is better to remain calm.

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.

What to do?

Let's say you discover that the toy does not have a battery. First - don't panic! Second, carefully inspect the room, perhaps the child just pulled it out and put it somewhere.

If the battery is nowhere to be found, inspect the child’s oral cavity; perhaps he has not yet had time to swallow it. Typically, if a child has just swallowed a battery, there will be no symptoms. If symptoms already exist, then the situation becomes critical.

If parents suspect that the child has swallowed a battery or it has gotten into the nose/ear:

1. Immediately call an ambulance or take the child yourself as soon as possible to the nearest surgical hospital.
2. Children over one year old can be given a little honey after swallowing a battery to slow down oxidation and possibly prevent the battery from sticking to the mucous membrane.
3. The doctor will take an x-ray to see the battery and understand that it is the battery and not a coin, since the battery will be distinguished from a coin by a double rim along its contour.
4. The most important thing is to remove the battery from the body as soon as possible and prevent its contact with mucous membranes.

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.

Among them:

• 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.

First aid for a foreign body in the nose

The first point of the action plan is simple: we ask the child to breathe through his mouth, examine his nostrils and instill vasoconstrictor drops into the nose (do not use aerosols and sprays, they can provoke further movement of the foreign body into the nasopharynx).

If an object stuck in your nostril is visible to you, then try to deal with the problem on your own. Pinch the free nostril with your finger and ask the child to inhale through the mouth and exhale sharply through the nose. If the baby feels that the stuck object has begun to move “towards the exit,” repeat the procedure.

If the child is too small, hold the undamaged nostril and inhale sharply into his mouth.

Sometimes you can read this advice: sneezing will help free up the nose, so it’s worth letting your baby smell or inhale a pinch of black pepper. We do not recommend following this recommendation, because pepper can cause irritation of the mucous membrane and an allergic reaction.

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.

What to do if a child swallows a foreign body - actions of parents

Babies are very inquisitive, and when they begin to move independently, the risk of swallowing a foreign body increases significantly. Doctors note that most often various foreign objects are removed from the body of children aged from 1 year to 5-6 years - this period is characterized as cognitive. Some pediatricians and surgeons even have a “museum” of foreign bodies extracted from children’s bodies. The most common ones are balls, chewing gum and tablets.

If the first two, in principle, do not pose a danger, then when swallowing the tablet, you will need gastric lavage and detoxification therapy - this is the doctors’ instructions. What should parents do if a child swallows a foreign body?

What you should absolutely not do

First, parents should not shake their baby, turn him upside down, or actively hit him on the back. Such actions can lead to the rotation of a foreign body in the esophagus and its entry into the respiratory tract - these conditions are potentially life-threatening for the child. If a child swallows a piece of an object, it may have sharp edges, and in this case, any concussions can lead to injury to the esophagus, stomach or respiratory tract (if the body has moved into them).

Secondly, you should not try to push a foreign body deeper into the body - for example, parents often give a child a crust of bread in the hope that by swallowing it, the baby will move the object down into the stomach, and then it will leave the body naturally. But if a baby swallows glass with sharp edges, then by forcing it through the digestive system, you can injure not only the esophagus, but also the stomach and even the intestines.

Thirdly, you cannot feed or give your baby water, including breast milk. Food or liquid that enters the gastrointestinal tract will “carry along” a foreign body, and the result of this can be disastrous, including intestinal perforation.

One more nuance - you cannot experiment and try to remove a foreign body from the throat with a magnet, fishing line or a thin long object. For example, a child swallowed a coin and it is in his esophagus - the baby will complain of pain in the chest area and the inability to take a full breath. In this case, it is strictly forbidden to try to “pull out” a coin with a magnet, and you cannot knock on the child’s chest - the foreign body is unlikely to come out, but it is quite possible to worsen the situation.

What to do if a child swallows a foreign body - the right actions

As soon as parents notice that the baby has swallowed an object, they need to call a doctor and wait for qualified help. You can do the following:

• If the baby is coughing, choking and slightly suffocating, then you need to lay him on your knee so that the upper part of the body is lowered, and tap the edge of your palm or fingers on his back between the shoulder blades (the blows are directed from the bottom up).
• If a child under the age of 1 year breathes smoothly, but coughs a lot, then he should be placed face down on the parent’s hand, his head should be slightly lowered, and the index and middle finger of the hand (support) should be placed in the child’s mouth.
  When opening the child's mouth, the baby is simultaneously lightly tapped on the back. Please note: the described measures can only be carried out if breathing is impaired, since sharp tapping can displace the foreign body so that it blocks the airways or causes severe swelling. If there is a suspicion that the child has swallowed a bone, then such actions are also prohibited.
• The baby needs to be calmed down and everything needed to be prepared for the trip to the hospital.

If a small child swallows a battery, you should immediately seek qualified medical help; you cannot take any action on your own. The dangers of swallowing batteries are as follows:

• When the battery enters the stomach, it oxidizes and releases aggressive substances, which leads to chemical burns to the gastric mucosa.
• When the battery oxidizes, ulcers can form on both the stomach and intestinal walls, and this is a condition that threatens the child’s life.
• If a child swallows a disk battery, it poses a particular danger in the esophagus, as necrosis and rupture of the esophageal wall can rapidly develop.

Based on materials from the site dobrobut.com

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.

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.

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.

Urgent actions:

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.

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.

Remember!

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.

Remember!

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.

Remember!

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.

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.

These foods and drinks coat the walls of the digestive organs and relax the tense esophagus.

It is necessary to avoid foods that irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. When eating such food, microtrauma from the fragment turns into ulcers, which cause acute pain and take a long time to heal:

• It is necessary to avoid foods that are too salty, sweet or spicy,
• Eliminate marinades, foods rich in essential oils, smoked foods, etc. from the diet.
• It is worth giving up solid foods that are difficult to digest, such as nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables, and bran.

Even if the fragment has already come out, it is important to observe the feces; perhaps there are still pieces of glass left in the body. To confirm your suspicions, it is recommended to undergo a repeat test.

When is hospitalization required and what is done in the hospital

If the condition after swallowing glass is poor and is accompanied by all of the above symptoms, then the victim should be urgently hospitalized. After conducting an instrumental examination, doctors determine the location of the fragment. Then specialists can act according to the following plan:

• Monitoring the patient until the foreign body comes out on its own,
• Carrying out an operation to remove the fragment.

The observation method is used more often. It consists in the fact that doctors stimulate the body with laxatives so that the glass comes out faster along with the feces. In a medical institution, this is acceptable, since the doctor controls the location of the foreign body and all its progress. And if complications arise, specialists will quickly provide treatment.

Surgery is necessary if the victim has difficulty breathing or the fragment moves slowly through the digestive organs.

Most often, endoscopic therapy is used to remove glass. This is possible if the fragment is placed above the duodenum; if it drops below, then the endoscope (flexible tube) will not reach it.

To remove an object, a special loop or forceps are passed through a tube inserted into the body (through the mouth). Next, the glass is pulled towards the endoscope and then pulled out. After the procedure, it is necessary to re-conduct an instrumental examination of the digestive organs.

If during endoscopy the fragment was pushed further , then to speed up its removal, the victim is prescribed laxatives. This method is effective if the incident occurred several hours ago.

If the object is placed below the level of the duodenum, then radiography is prescribed. In this case, it is prohibited to take laxatives; it is better to use Vaseline oil.

If the victim begins vomiting, has severe pain, fever, or hemorrhage, then laparotomy is indicated . This surgical procedure involves making an incision in the abdominal wall to gain access to the foreign object. Abdominal surgery is performed when the location of the fragment, its size and shape are precisely known. However, there is a risk of complications after the procedure.

In rare cases, the glass descends into the cecum and sigmoid colon. Then colonoscopy is used - this is an endoscopic method for diagnosing the inner surface of the intestine. The duration of the study is 45 minutes. Before the procedure, the victim is changed into hospital clothes and an oxygen mask is placed on his face. To avoid pain, a drip with painkillers and sedative solutions is used.

The patient is asked to turn over on his side, and a colonoscope is inserted into the intestine, having previously lubricated the anus with Vaseline. To open the lumen and facilitate the movement of the chamber, a little air is pumped into the intestinal lumen.

A flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the intestines, and the doctor monitors its progress on a computer screen. To remove the fragment, a miniature instrument is inserted through the colonoscope. If the tube cannot pass the bend, then surgery is prescribed.