PEDIATRIC FOREIGN BODY INGESTION

Course overview

CHILDREN COMMONLY SWALLOW FOREIGN BODIES. COINS ARE THE MOST COMMONLY SWALLOWED FOREIGN BODY THAT COMES TO MEDICAL ATTENTION IN THE USA; IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THOSE RELATED TO FOOD, SUCH AS FISH BONES, ARE MOST COMMON. PRESCHOOLERS OF BOTH SEXES, ADOLESCENT BOYS, AND CHILDREN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK. EVEN INFANTS MAY SWALLOW FOREIGN BODIES THAT ARE GIVEN TO THEM, PERHAPS BY OLDER SIBLINGS. MOST SWALLOWED FOREIGN BODIES WILL HARMLESSLY PASS THROUGH THE GI TRACT, BUT SOME WILL LEAD TO HEALTH PROBLEMS IF THEY BECOME LODGED (E.G., TOO LARGE TO PASS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF FOREIGN BODY INGESTION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.