DS (aged 6) swallowed a marble

[Traveller]

It was only a small marble but he is saying his tummy is sore around the belly button. He is known for telling stories that are not 100% true so I am convinced that he swallowed it but I suspect he may be faking the sore tummy. WWYD, should I take him to the doc? Or just ignore it and see if he remembers to keep up the pretence of a sore tummy? He's been very naughty today so I'm not sure if he is really in pain or if he is just trying to get some sympathy

[Junglemum]

Honestly, if it was me and it was a small marble, i'd ride it out for another day and see if the sore tummy disappears..... It's not likely that a small smooth object like that would get too stuck anywhere... and if he's saying his belly button, then it's passed through his stomach into his small intestine and should make its way out ok. If he continues on with the sore tummy i'd take him to get check out....

But maybe call nurse on call and see what their advice is?

[Catastrophic]

Was it just a marble or one of those Magnetic marbles? And only the one?

He will have a sore belly as it passess through i would think, so maybe give him some panadol to help ease that.

Take him to the Dr/Er if he starts to get anymore symptoms: Pain increases/temps/groaning/moaning/guarding... me personally would give 13health or ED a call and explain to them and ask for their advice on what to do right now, they might want you to bring him in.

[megs]

I was thinking give Nurse on Call a ring also to see what they say.

Its hard when you don't know how true to the story is. My eldest is a bit of a story teller at times and it makes it so hard.

[Traveller]

Thanks Junglemum, that's pretty much what I was thinking. However he has now clarified that it wasn't a marble, but a glass bead (flat on one side, curved on the other, and about an inch wide) that he swallowed. Also he is saying the pain is about an inch and a half above his bellybutton, so theoretically the opening to the stomach rather than inside the stomach. I know it sounds harsh but I cannot be bothered to wait in the ER for hours on a Saturday just to be told he is faking it, and I don't want him to have an x-ray if he doesn't need one. Equally I would hate to ignore this and for him to be really ill . What's the number for nurse on call and I will give them a ring? My GP is closed so I can't get in to see him.

[Traveller]

Was it just a marble or one of those Magnetic marbles? And only the one?

He will have a sore belly as it passess through i would think, so maybe give him some panadol to help ease that.

Take him to the Dr/Er if he starts to get anymore symptoms: Pain increases/temps/groaning/moaning/guarding... me personally would give 13health or ED a call and explain to them and ask for their advice on what to do right now, they might want you to bring him in.

It was glass, and not magnetic. Phew, at least I don't have to worry about that, I've heard such horror stories about children swallowing magnets and rupturing their intestines.

[Junglemum]

A glass bead about an inch wide with a flat edge? I'd probably take him to get checked out.....

But, i'd mayeb go to GP, and see what they say. They might be able to phone and get you an outpatient x-ray somewhere this morning. Rather than wait at the ED.

[Junglemum]

1300 60 60 24 nurse on call in Vic.

[Junglemum]

This is from the RCH melbourne clinical guidelines:

"Management – oesophageal foreign bodies
Button batteries lodged in the oesophagus need urgent removal.
An object causing total oesophageal obstruction requires removal under anaesthesia.
An object causing partial obstruction where the child is able to swallow saliva successfully and the object has a good chance of passing, may be observed for a few hours. If it does not pass it will need to be removed.
Once the object is in the stomach it will almost certainly pass spontaneously.
If food is thought to have impacted in the lower oesophagus, small amounts of fizzy cola drink may help move it.
Inform parents to return immediately if there is abdominal pain, vomiting, haematemesis or malaena.
there is no place for arranging follow-up visits, repeat X-rays or parental faecal examination. This does not apply to the ingestion of lead foreign bodies which can cause systemic lead absorbtion if they are reatined for more than a few days."

[Traveller]

he'll be delighted if I tell him he needs fizzy cola to move it!

Am off to the 24 hour docs now, as requested by nurse on call. Thanks for the advice, will update later xx

[megs]

Good Luck, hope he is OK

[onthefly]

hope he passes it ok

[Amity]

Hope things are ok.

[Traveller]

We're home. I took him to the bulk billing GP who sent us straight to A&E. Ironically we saw the same A&E nurse who looked after boytwin on Wednesday when he split his lip

DS had his tummy x-rayed and the bead can be seen in his tummy so he's fine, we just need to keep an eye out for tummy pain/distension/lack of poo. He got the x-ray to take to school on Monday and maccas on his way home so he's pretty pleased with himself. Thanks everyone for your help earlier xx

[sloane]

i just saw your fb status. glad to hear he's ok!

[Roryrory]

Glad all is ok. You'd be amazed at what they can pass - we found a five cent piece in DS2's nappy once!

[tellytubby]

Glad he's okay
My DD (then 2) swallowed a $1.00 coin while I was in hospital after having my DS (in the care of mum, wasn't impressed)
They said something similar, it'll come out the other end!

[MantaRay]

I'm so glad he's ok hun. I know how hard it is with little boys to know what's true and what's not!!

I am actually also surprised that there is a situation that we haven't actually been through with either of the boys yet - DS2 has eaten pretty much everything else, including the foil top of a hotel vegemite packet. Luckily that didn't make him sick as were a long way from medical help at the time.