We THINK She's Swallowed A Coin

After my oh so proud thread here i am ultra proud of DD1... NOT

I was cleaning up the lounge yesterday and took a few things off the DVD cabinet, some coins etc etc.
DD1 was fiddling with things (as kids do) and then coughed a little, i asked what was wrong she said nothing and ran off.
A couple of minutes later she came back and said "mummy i swallowed real money" i asked a million questions and from what we can guage she said it was a big one (gold) and that i THINK there may have been 3 $2 coins instead of 2 on the chair but i can't be sure.

So i msg'd SIL who is a nurse who basically said keep an eye on her and check her poo if i want to be 100% sure it comes out but is there anything else i need to do?

She's at kinder today so i will warn them that if she starts feeling off or anything to call me straight away, she slept well and ate breakfast so am i stressing over nothing?

I'd let the kinder know. AFAIK coins are generally harmless. It's things like magnets and batteries that you need to worry about.

DS1 swallowed 10 cents when he was 3 and the Dr said he should poop it out within a few days. He was mortified that we'd have to check his poo to see if it came out so he always did a poo when we weren't paying attention and flush it really quick LOL, so we had no idea if it ever came out or not, but when he was 6 he had a pelvic xray and nothing showed up on it so I assumed that it did come out. Over the years in nappies I've also seen beads, lego knex and a wheel off a matchbox car :lol: It shouldn't cause her any trouble, but I'd let them know JIC.

Thank you ladies, i sent her to kinder and advised her teachers of the 'incident' so they will let me know if she complains of not being well etc.
We have also told her when she's home if she needs to do a poo she has to go on the potty :wall: :sick:

I swallowed a shoe buckle when i was 2.. its a great family joke coz i thought it was chocolate!! I think it took a day or two but i pooped it out no worries!! I think he will be ok!! Have fun checking poo!!

Does she feel tight in her chest at all? My sister swallowed money as a child and had to get an dray to make sure it wasn't in her windpipe.

I would be getting her to poo on the potty and sifting through to see if it cones out. If not I would consider getting further tests, because the decomposition of metal in her body could be harmful over time. (I heard about a ottos girl who got very sick from a coin swallowed as a baby).

I have a friend who's now teenage daughter swallowed a 5c coin as a toddler. She was told to take her straight to emergency and keep her upright until they could make sure it wasn't in her windpipe. I am sure this isn't an issue with a bigger coin but maybe it's worth giving a doctor a call to check?

I'd call your GP. My DD swallowed a coin when she was 5. She had an X-ray and it was lodged at the top of her windpipe. They operated immediately to remove it.

She's been fine today, a little sooky this afternoon but is not complaining of a sore stomach, breathing is fine, no temp.
I don't want to call and sound OTT and i don't want to be that mum who let her kid go for weeks without noticing.. IYKWIM... :rofl:

If it was me I'd probably want an X-ray for reassurance. It will probably pass with no problems but things can occasionally get stuck without causing a full blockage or immediate symptoms. I'm probably paranoid though.

Hi Lovely.

My DD did this last year although it was a considerably larger coin. Initially I laughed it off but a dr I work with advised me to get her x-rayed just to make sure it was in the stomach and not the lungs. Sound advice.

With regards to checking her poo - most dr's will tell you not to. We were told it can take 12 months for a coin to pass.

What to look for? Raspy breathing, coughing blood, sore stomach, projectile vomiting, constipation. IF she doubles over or has a sore stomach and is vomiting, straight to ED.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks hun, so should I take her somewhere or maybe wait it out for now?
No issues breathing, no pain etc etc.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

It's up to you. Most Dr's will simply tell you to wait it out. I have a fantastic relationship with my GP and he was reluctant to order an XRay. Most don't like to xray kids unless it's an emergency. If you do decide to take her somewhere, you will probably get a better response from a GP than ED. Personally though, I would make an appt with the GP and let them know, tell them you're not sure what size coin she swallowed, and you'd just like to check it has made it's way to the stomach and is not in the lungs.

The coin itself (if it's an Australian $2) is not going to cause any issues. The only reason the coin DD swallowed caused issues is because of a) the currency (this particular foreign currency is coated with a substance that erodes when swallowed and can become poisonous. The country no longer makes the coins like that but DD was playing with OLD money) and b) the size of the coin (it was around the size of a 20c piece).

Have you nicknamed your daughter yet? We called DD a human vending machine, a Piggy Bank, and a tight arse (when she didn't pass it). :rofl: Mean much?

Thx hun, will hold off for now and pop into gp Monday if it's not out or ED if status changes :)


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

Thank you everyone, Miss A passed her coin yesterday, i hadn't realised as she went to the toilet but this morning when i used that toilet instead of ours i noticed a #2 that wouldn't flush, managed to get it out and sure enough there was a $2 coin..... i called DD in and she said WOW i didn't even know :rofl:

Excellent news!

Crisis averted :)

Glad all ok.