Even the most caring and attentive parents do not always come out to protect their child from troubles. And often cause for concern - objects that the baby consciously or accidentally swallowed. In particular, it can be a stone from a plum. Young children should be given only the flesh of such a fruit. But there are situations when this unpleasant incident did happen. If a child swallows a bone from a plum, what should parents do in this case?
What is the danger of swallowed bone from plums for a child?
Among other fruit seeds, it is plum that has the largest size. Its sharp edges can injure the delicate mucosa. Therefore, if, for example, a one-year-old child swallows a stone from a plum, one should be wary.
The second dangerous moment is amygdalin contained in the plum bone. After entering the stomach, the hard shell of the nucleus softens, the toxic substance gradually decomposes, resulting in the release of hydrocyanic acid. It can harm the children's body, especially if a tiny child (2 years old) swallows a bone from a plum. This danger persists for all children whose age has not yet reached seven years.
The third and main dangerous situation is when the fruit core has entered the larynx and trachea. In this case, a complete or partial closure of the respiratory tract is possible. Choking can be fatal in a few minutes.
Therefore, if a situation arises when the baby swallows a foreign object, you should not be shy about contacting doctors for help. Cases in which emergency assistance is needed will be described below.
Signs that the baby swallowed the plum stone
If the baby is not yet two years old, he is constantly in the field of view of his parents. Older children are not looked after so strictly. That is why sometimes it happens that parents did not even notice how their child swallowed a bone from a plum. Sometimes a son or daughter themselves admit that there has been such a fact. But most often, children either do not notice that they have swallowed a foreign object, or are simply afraid to admit it.
The following signs may indicate that such an unpleasant incident has occurred. If the object that got into the trachea blocked the airways, the child will cough badly, breathing will be difficult or even the baby will not be able to take a breath.
If a child swallows a bone from a plum, and it enters the intestines, there may be no symptoms. In the case of existing assumptions that the fruit core was eaten, stool should be examined. This must be done to ensure that a foreign object has come out.
In the event that the bone is stuck in the esophagus, the child will either not be able to swallow at all, or this action will give him unpleasant sensations. The baby will feel restlessness and pain in the sternum and abdomen, vomiting. In the stool, clotted blood clots will be present.
The kid swallowed a plum bone - what should I do?
The first and most important thing that parents should do when their child swallows a bone from a plum, and it immediately enters the intestines, is to stop worrying and panic. You just need to examine the baby's feces for several days to see that the foreign body has come out and calm down.
However, there are several signs that indicate that the child needs a doctor:
- discomfort and aggravated pain in the abdomen over time;
- a feeling of nausea or vomiting, repeated several times;
- blood in the stool.
What should not be done in such a situation?
You should not try to artificially induce vomiting in the baby or stuff it with laxative medications so that the fruit core comes out as soon as possible. There is also no need to feed the child crusts of bread (parents, based on the "grandmother" methods, often practice this method of pushing the bones). In the case when the baby does not have any of the above signs of the need for medical intervention, adults should only be patient and wait for the bone to come out.
If the child’s symptoms have shown that an ambulance needs to be called, then parents should not try to extract the bone on their own. This can do even more harm. No need to feed and drink the baby before the doctors arrive.
The kid choked on a bone from a plum: what to do?
If your son or daughter choked on a plum bone, but could still breathe, do not manipulate it. Attempting self-medication can only aggravate the situation. It is necessary to call an ambulance or urgently deliver the baby to the emergency room where qualified assistance will be provided to the injured specialists.
If the child choked on the fruit core and his breathing is difficult, it is strictly forbidden to slow down and take a wait-and-see position, because the life of the baby is at stake. You need to immediately call an ambulance, and then proceed to provide first aid. This must be done if the child clings to the throat with his hands, his skin turns blue, the baby suffocates, saliva flows from his open mouth, or the choked one falls and faints. The following are the emergency steps.
The kid choked on a bone: emergency
If the baby is not yet one year old, then the adult needs to lay him on the forearm of one hand, turning him face down and holding his chin. The edge of the other hand should be applied several neat blows between the shoulder blades of the baby.
If after such an impact the bone did not come out, you need to turn the child on his back, lay on the adult’s knees so that the head is at the lower point, and make several shocks, making an effort in the place slightly below the nipples.
A baby who is already more than one year old, emergency care is carried out as follows. It is necessary, standing behind, to entwine his body with his hands, fasten them into a lock in the place between the navel and chest. After that, it is necessary to carry out four to five sharp shocks upward, as if trying to squeeze out a bone that is stuck.
Conclusion
If a child swallows a stone from a plum, the need for urgent medical intervention should be determined. In the case when the baby does not experience anxiety and discomfort, parents are advised only to carefully monitor the stool of their son or daughter to make sure that a foreign object has come out. If the child experiences pain and other symptoms described in the article, or when the bone is stuck in the throat and does not allow the baby to breathe, you should urgently call an ambulance or deliver the child to the emergency room for professional assistance.