A Review on the Ingestion of Foreign Bodies by Children

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is common among small children. Most of the children ingest the objects accidently while playing with it. This ingestion of foreign bodies in the small children had led to increased complications and death rate. Coins, button batteries, sharp objects like safety pins and the needles were the most commonly ingested objects. The proper diagnosis and management of the foreign bodies are necessary for the prevention of the complications. The ingestion of foreign bodies can be prevented up to an extent with proper monitoring of the children by the care givers and the parents. The parents and care givers can be educated about the risks associated with the ingestion of foreign bodies and the necessary steps which has to be taken to avoid this type of accidental ingestion. In rare cases, the retained foreign body may cause ulceration, perforation, bleeding, or localized stricture formation.