More Kids are Swallowing Small Items

Parents should be on the lookout when it comes to small objects and their children.  Emergency rooms across the county have seen a rise in the number of young children who have swallowed objects such as toys, batteries, and coins.  It only can take one moment for your child to grab a small object and try to ingest it.  This emergency can happen at a home, a school, or anywhere that young children have access to small objects.

In a study published Friday by the journal Pediatrics, there were 43,000 such cases involving kids under 6 in 2015 - nearly double the 22,000 reported in 1995.The Associated Press reports 90% of kids did not require hospitalization.  The report did not offer a reason why the number of cases doubled.

However, severe internal injury and death has occurred.Batteries and small high-powered magnets, sometimes marketed as desk toys for adults, are among the most dangerous items kids have put in their mouths.

Parents are advised to look around their homes where children could have access to small objects.  Experts stress that children should be taken to the emergency room immediately.  Swallowing small objects can lead to  intestine damage, blood poisoning, and even death, reports Fatherly.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep small items like coins, batteries, and magnets out of reach of young children.  CNN Adds, "Coins were the most commonly swallowed object, followed by toys, jewelry and batteries. Boys were more likely to swallow objects than girls: 53% vs 47%. Boys were also more likely to swallow screws and nails, whereas girls were more likely to swallow jewelry and hair products."