I swore I wouldn't write on here for awhile but my husband isn't being helpful and is making me mad! Anyways we got hone from church about 2 hours ago and my son was chasing my daughter around while I was putting lunch on the table. She fell and I picked her up to put her in her high chair when I noticed part of her barrette in her mouth! I pulled it out and the botton part was missing! And she kind of coughed when I picked her up! I freaked out and immediately swept and then vacuumed my hardwood floors looking for the other part. I didn't find it and to make matters worse the other barrete is gone too and I know she had both when she came inside! My husband thinks I should leave her alone and let nature take its course. He is always dismissive when the kids are sick. Anyways the piece that is missing is about 3/4 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. It has no teeth and is hard plastic. I don't know if I should take her to the hospital or just leave her be! I don't even know if she swallowed it, I am just fairly sure! Have you had this happen? What would you do?
You don't say how old your daughter is? So I assume she is to young to talk to you about what she may have swallowed? I would probably be freaked out too. 90% chance that if she swallowed it, that is "passes" safely. But that still leaves too much of a chance that some edge of the barrette could perforate her bowels. The worry would drive me nuts and the $100 co-pay for the ER to xray her would be a small price to pay to relieve my mind.
Just try to see if it come sout in her poop. It shouldn't be a problem.
Oh, I would NOT chance it. Take her to the E.R. What if she did indeed swallow it and it disrupts her breathing during the night and (God forbid) she chokes in her sleep? Is it worth that kind of risk? Since you do not know for sure where the pieces are, you need to be SURE it isn't lodged somewhere where she could die from it.
I would just let nature take it's course as well. If it's those cheap plastic type toddler barrettes, they don't really have any sharp edges and plastic is rather inert when going through the digestive tract.
I mean what do you expect the hospital to do? Pump her stomach and give her an enema? Surgery?
If it was a magnet, battery or a sharp/thin piece of metal like some barrettes or hairpins may have it would be different... but if it's just a fairly straight piece of plastic...
Call the nurseline if you're unsure.
Good luck!
if you take her to the hospital they will Xray her and see where it is at and let it pass.
I totally understand why you are freaking out. When my daughter was about 13 months old, I found a penny that had obviously gone through her digestive tract in her diaper during a changing. I FREAKED! She did it again when she was about two, but at least this time she could tell me that she did it. I freaked again. Long story short, she is ten now and hasn't intentionally swallowed anything foreign (that I know about anyway!) As long as your baby seems like she is ok and is able to eat, drink, pee, and poop without issues, I wouldn't take her to the hospital. If you can't get it out of your mind though, you could call a nurseline or call your doctor on Monday morning. You will probably end up finding the piece in her diaper, and have a story of your own to tell someday.
