Swallowed objects

Red

If your child has any of the following: If your child has swallowed a battery If your child has swallowed a magnet or more than one magnet If your child has swallowed something large or sharp If your child has swallowed the object to harm themselves If your child is drooling more than normal If your child develops noisy breathing, difficulty breathing or a new cough If your child is choking or coughing when eating or drinking If your child is refusing food or eating less than usual If your child starts gagging, vomiting or retching If your child develops severe pain If your child has blood in their stool If your child becomes confused or is difficult to wake

You need help now. Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department or phone 999

Amber
If your child has any of the following: If your child develops mild pain If your child has a fever If your child has not passed stool (poo) for >1 day when you would normally have expected them to do so	You need to speak to a doctor or nurse today. Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111 If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 111 staff, then consider taking them to your nearest Emergency Department

Green
If none of the above features are present.	Self care You can keep looking after your child at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111

Content adapted with permission from thewhat0-18.nhs.ukresource produced by the Healthier Together initiative

Button batteries are small round, silver batteries found in lots of electrical toys and devices.

As well as being a choking hazard, button batteries can cause internal burns, internal bleeding, and sometimes death.

They can also cause burns if they're lodged in a child's nose or ear.

Preventing Accidents

Read about button batteries on the Child Accident Prevention Trust website, why you should be aware of the risks and how to keep your children safe.

Advice taken from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/first-aid-and-safety/first-aid/what-to-do-if-your-child-has-an-accident/

Magnetic ball toys are about 10 times stronger than traditional magnets. If a child swallows more than one of the magnetic balls, they can stick to each other inside the body and cause damage to the bowel and other structures that get caught in between. They can be challenging to remove, often requiring surgery to do so.

Where are they found?
Sources of magnets swallowed by children include:

• magnetic beads from jewellery-making kits
• magnetic balls from building kits
• magnets from building block toys and magnetic dartboards
• fridge magnets
• magnetic fake tongue piercings

What to do if you think your child has swallowed magnets

It may not be obvious that your child has swallowed small magnets. While older children can tell you what they’ve done, young children may not be able to.

Signs to look out for include stomach pain, nausea or vomiting. They may not be able to keep down fluids. You may suspect a stomach bug or appendicitis.

Act quickly if you’re worried - do not wait for symptoms to appear

If you think your child may have swallowed magnets, take them straight to the Emergency Department. 

Preventing accidents

Read the Child Accident Prevention Trust's page on keeping your child safe from magnets for advice and tips on preventing accidents.

Advice taken from: https://www.capt.org.uk/keep-your-child-safe-from-magnets

"When should I get help?" content adapted with permission from thewhat0-18.nhs.ukresource produced by the Healthier Together initiative