Would you go to the ER?

[lilac05]

Tonight, after dinner, DS (3) said, "Mommy!  Look at this!" and showed me a plastic fork with 1/2" of one of the tines missing.  DH immediately panicked and started asking where it was, if he ate it, etc.  DS seemed to thrive off of the attention.  He told me he did not swallow it, but then later, giggled as he said it was in his tummy.  We could not find the piece, but it's possible that DH threw it away with our trash.

DS did not show any signs of trouble at the table or afterwards.  He ate a strawberry & piece of bread afterwards and had no trouble.  I called the nurse hotline, and she said she "has to follow policy and recommend" that we take him to the ER because it's a 'sharp object'...though she didn't seem too convinced.  

I don't even know if he actually swallowed it.  He's not one to put non-food things in his mouth.  He seemed to be thriving off of the attention.  When I was talking to my mom, he said, "Don't forget to tell Grandma that I swallowed a piece of a fork!"  

What would you do?  ER or monitor?

[eb777888]

I had no idea this could be worrisome. I'd call my pedi's nurse line.

[CurlyQ284]

Craaap. I was initially thinking if you tell him its very serious and its important he tells you if he really swallowed it, he might get nervous and deny it so you won't know for sure either way.

I think I would take him. That could get bad if he really did swallow it. I wonder if they can see plastic on an x-ray?

*ETA I haven't had a kid swallow anything weird yet so this may be an overreaction.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

I guess just watch him.

[gullterre15]

Monitor then call pedi in the morning? If he poops in the meantime look in it? Yuck I'm sorry you have to play the poop " I spy" game.

[lilac05]

I did, but I felt like she gave me the "just so you can't sue me later/CYA" answer. She didn't seem very convinced. My parents were having friends over for dinner, a family physician and two nurses (one pediatric and one surgical) and they said wait and see, not likely a problem. So, different advice from different medical professionals.

I decided on "wait and see" and am taking the advice of the doctor who loves him like a grandson, but am curious what others would do.

[Deleted]

I would call the pedi in the morning. I'm thinking they would just pass this, right?

[stephm0188]

I would go :\ That would be an object that could do some damage. Something like a bead or coin, meh, but if it has the potential to pierce through something, I'd want to have it checked out. Maybe he didn't swallow it, but I'd rather spend the money on a copay and feel dumb than the alternative.

[donnamartingraduat]

I don't have kids, but my H swallowed a tooth pick (don't ask...). He went to the ER, but they said there is nothing they can do. He just had to wait and watch for any evidence that it had perforated something on it's way through his system (e.g. blood in his stool). For the record, the ER wasn't too concerned about it and he ended up being just fine.

[Redpoppy]

I had a kid tell me he ate a tack while u was babysitting. He then called a crumb in the floor a tack, and then went to the drawer where his parents kept them. His father ended up taking him in for an X-ray after I told him what happened, but he was a doctor at an urgent care clinic so just slipped him in, and the potential swallowed item was metal.

I personally would wait as I doubt there is much they can do and it sounds like he has no symptoms.

[livinitup]

Honestly, no I wouldn't go to an ER based on this.

I would be diligent in keeping tabs on symptoms of a perforated bowel. Discomfort, fever, bloating, pain. But no, I would not go symptomless into an ER setting on a panic of a plastic tin being swallowed.

Does the ER gave options beyond 'watch and wait'? for plastic tips?

[eb777888]

Mar 9, 2014 22:08:42 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I did, but I felt like she gave me the "just so you can't sue me later/CYA" answer. She didn't seem very convinced. My parents were having friends over for dinner, a family physician and two nurses (one pediatric and one surgical) and they said wait and see, not likely a problem. So, different advice from different medical professionals.

I decided on "wait and see" and am taking the advice of the doctor who loves him like a grandson, but am curious what others would do.

Ugh, sorry! I totally missed that part of your OP. 

[sarahbear]

No, I would not go. Wait and see.

[lilac05]

Mar 9, 2014 22:05:59 GMT -5 CurlyQ284 said:

Craaap. I was initially thinking if you tell him its very serious and its important he tells you if he really swallowed it, he might get nervous and deny it so you won't know for sure either way.

I think I would take him. That could get bad if he really did swallow it. I wonder if they can see plastic on an x-ray?

Unfortunately (in this instance only), he loves his doctor & thinks the ER is a great place.  (We went for the first time in my life 2 weeks ago b/c I think he had food poisoning.  Severe abdominal pain and lethargy...but it stopped immediately after he finally vomited.). ER = up close view of a helicopter and lots of nice people giving him lots of attention. He told me in an excited voice later, "Mommy, you should take me to see the doctor because I just ate a plastic fork!"

I don't even know if plastic would show up on an x-Ray.

[fezzik]

Apparently I need some mom lessons. I don't think I would be that worried if that happened to my kid and I'm usually a worrier (I guess a plastic fork doesn't seem too sharp in my mind). I would just monitor.

[speckledfrog]

I wouldn't go to the ER. I'd just watch and see how he behaves and take him in if it seems like things are actually amiss.

[jenna]

H works in CT and diagnostic x ray. He said for something that small, he'd wait it out. Even with a high dose of radiation, there's a chance it won't show up on the x ray.

Disclaimer - I am not a doctor. neither is H. This is not medical advice. Only your Dr can give you medical advice.

For piece of mind, an x ray facility is an option, think urgent care.  H suggested to keep an eye out to see if it passes.  Also look for signs of abdominal pain.

[lilac05]

Thanks, all! I'm feeling pretty certain that a trip to the ER at this point would be pretty useless medically & would also increase his love of going to the hospital. I can't use the threat of, "be careful or you might get hurt & I'll have to take you to the hospital" because he thinks that is fun. Ugh.

I'm also afraid of drawing any more attention to this, for fear that he'll try it again since he gets attention for it. My boy loves attention & has never met a stranger in his life.

On a side note, I put those scrubbing bubbles tabs in my toilet (because i felt like being lazy, we have hard water, & they're "safe" for kids/pets). They turn the water blue, stink. And leave blue streaks on the side of the bowl. They'd also make poop observation even more obnoxious. I think I'll monitor other signs/symptoms & be extra thankful that he's very verbal and can tell me if something is wrong!