Doctors of the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic - On-Demand Examination Center, Central Tropical Diseases Hospital have just successfully treated a case of sharp metal foreign object choking in the throat area of a young child, posing a serious risk if not detected in time.
The patient is baby boy A.Q (12 months old, Hanoi), admitted to the hospital in a condition with a foreign object stuck in the right throat area, behind the oral cavity. The foreign object was identified as a metal sock pin with two sharp ends.
According to the family, the afternoon before being hospitalized, the child showed signs of mild fever, poor eating, crying and vomiting when eating cereal. Because they were in the teething stage, the family thought these were common symptoms, so they did not take the child to the doctor. Until the next morning, while cleaning the child's mouth, the mother suddenly discovered a foreign object stuck in her throat and immediately took the child to the hospital.
At the clinic, after examination, doctors discovered a foreign object head stuck in the lining of the right cheek, stuck in the throat area. The team quickly proceeded to remove the foreign object, avoiding the risk of the foreign object drifting deep into the lower throat or esophagus. Fortunately, the child's mucous membrane damage was only a minor scratch, with no signs of infection or deep damage.
Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist Trinh Thuy Lien - who directly handled the case - said that small, sharp foreign objects such as socks, safety pins, hair clips... are especially dangerous for young children. These foreign objects can cause tears and ulcers of the throat and upper digestive tract, even threatening the airway. Worryingly, foreign objects can be "hidden" in the oral cavity or throat for many hours, even days without causing widespread symptoms, making adults easily subjective.
Baby A.Q's case is lucky because the foreign object is stuck in the throat area, not moving deeply. If the foreign object drifts down the lower throat or esophagus, the risk of complications will be much higher," Dr. Lien emphasized.
Young children who swallow foreign objects such as pins, plastic beads, toy pieces, buttons... often only show signs of crying, refusing to eat, vomiting - signs that are easily confused with digestive disorders or teething. Because children do not know how to express abnormal feelings, early detection depends entirely on the observation of adults.
Doctors recommend that parents absolutely do not let children play alone with small, sharp objects or toys with tiny details. When children have abnormal manifestations of unknown cause, it is necessary to carefully check the oral cavity and take the child to the doctor early. Do not arbitrarily use hands or tools to remove foreign objects at home because it can push the foreign object deeper, causing serious injury and dangerous complications.
