Diagnosis and Treatment of Foreign Body Ingestion in Children

Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem that is observed in children in the age group of 6 months to 3 years. In routine usage, we identify the condition as when children swallow items like coins, button batteries, or pointed objects that can potentially harm the passage and the stomach. Not only children, but infants also swallow foreign bodies sometimes while playing with their siblings. According to the best child doctor in Agra most swallowed foreign bodies harmlessly pass through the Gastrointestinal Tract but if they are lodged in between, it can lead to serious health complications. In case the object is too large or small such as a pill which can stick to the moist surface, or pointed objects such as a pin or razor blade along with burn injuries also cause significant damage to the esophagus. 

Krishna Hospital as the best child hospital in Agra has successfully treated children suffering from foreign body ingestion. The treatment of the child depends on what item he/ she has swallowed. Coins, button batteries, magnets, sharp or pointed items like nails, screws along with large foreign bodies are commonly swallowed by children. The foreign body ingestion is regarded as one of the major difficulties concerning clinical practices in Pediatric Gastroenterology. Many times the FB passes the GI tract spontaneously without many complications but in serious cases, endoscopic and surgical removal is required. In addition to this, multiple parameters are taken into consideration when choosing the endoscopic removal of a foreign body. These include age/ body weight, time passed since ingestion, last meal is taken, the shape and size of the FB, and the most important the location in the GI tract. 

According to the best pediatrician in Agra, the diagnosis of FB ingestion in infants and children is different as both of them showcase different symptoms. The foreign body that has stuck or obstructed the esophagus might result in chest pain or a foreign body sensation. The major symptoms are observed during swallowing. For instance, young children might show symptoms like refusing food, drool, vomiting, gag along with cough and Hematemesis. Moreover, if the swallowed item has lodged in the stomach or the intestines, it might cause abdominal pain, vomits, and blood in the stool. Fever and weight loss might develop if the foreign body exists for a prolonged period. In the case of pediatric ingestion, no visible symptoms can be seen or symptoms can be subtle or hard to recognize. 

The best child specialist in Agra suggests that no invasive treatment is required in the case of asymptomatic patients who have swallowed low-risk foreign bodies but parents should be given proper instructions to identify the symptoms to overcome any major complication. The endoscopic procedure is considered to be best when foreign bodies are lodged in the esophagus. Large, sharp, pointed and other high-risk objects in the stomach are also preferably removed through endoscopy. Greater emphasis should be laid on the prevention of foreign body ingestion in children. Parents and caregivers should be careful enough and avoid small children and infants contacting objects that can be harmful if swallowed such as button batteries, small magnets, coins, and other high-risk objects.