During birthday parties balloons of different colors make the party colorful and beautiful. Perhaps small children insist on playing with it. All take this as a normal thing and instantly give them to play. When it pops, usually a child horrifies and begins to cry.
But some courageous brave children do not do so. Their curious mind compels them to taste it, chew it or even swallow it. Oh! No, their parents rush toward him and try to induce vomiting. Stop, first you should understand what to do when anyone faces this condition.
What happens If You Swallow the Balloon? Don’t be so frightened, if no symptoms of choking appear and the child/ person is ok, it will travel to the stomach. After staying 24-48 hours comes out in feces. In severe cases, call the doctor because it can block the air passage.
When it enters the trachea you have a few minutes to give him medical aid, otherwise, it will be life-threatening.
Let’s discuss it in detail.
What Happens If You Swallow a Balloon
An accidental or intentional intake of a balloon has its risks. These risks may be mild or severe depending upon the size of the balloon being swallowed and the way it enters and settles in our mouth, throat, or windpipe. If someone chews it. Its small parts or big pieces may enter into the trachea instead of the stomach.
These can cause big losses because when you inhale this piece of the balloon it may stretch and mold on your air canal and completely hinder the air from passing through it. It may lead to death.
Swallowing The Balloon For Weight Loss
Obesity is a metabolic disorder that brings many other diseases like diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, stroke, and non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Pharmacologic treatment and bariatric surgery are used to treat obesity but change the lifestyle. It guarantees only limited weight loss.
Although weight-loss surgery gives an effective therapeutic choice for obesity, it is linked with the risk of mortality and morbidity.
Endoscopic bariatric therapy (intragastric balloon) gives greater efficacy with lower risks than do conventional surgery.
- How Is A Balloon Deposited
It is a very simple and nonsurgical, non-invasive procedure. First, a deflated balloon is inserted with the help of a narrow and thin pipe, through the esophagus and into the stomach. A syringe is used to fill up a balloon with saline solution. This procedure is completed in a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes. After keeping the patient for 2 hours under observation, discharged him with proper dietary advice.
- How Intragastric Balloons Work
1. It creates a sense of fullness and reduces their food necessity.
2. It facilitates satisfaction peripherally by being a hindrance to food utility, decreasing the inner volume of the stomach, and delayed stomach emptying.
3. It affects hunger control and vacates the stomach by altering gut hormones and peptides like ghrelin, leptin, cholecystokinin, and pancreatic polypeptide.
This process reduces 15-25 kg weight in 5 to 6 months without side effects.
How Long Does It Take To Digest a Balloon
If a person engulfed in an uninflated balloon accidentally hits enter in the stomach through the esophagus. Although our stomach is full of hydrochloric acid, a very strong acid, it couldn’t digest it. It remains in the alimentary canal and passes away in the stool within 2- 3 days.
It is assumed if it stays for 25 to 30 days in the stomach then decomposes
What To Do If Your Child Swallows a Balloon
For children, swallowing a balloon is very dangerous because of its material. Its material is very light, flexible, and sticky when wet-that adheres to the inner surface of the trachea. When a child inhales, it will completely obstruct the way of air, the child will die in minutes before medical help.
Therefore for young children, only latex balloons are banned and Mylar balloons are allowed.
Why Are Mylar Better Than Latex Balloons
Mylar is a nonporous balloon when filled with Helium or another gas, a big 11-inch balloon will remain inflated from 3 to 5 days while a latex balloon deflated in 8-10 hours.
Therefore never allow children to play with empty or deflated balloons.
What Happens If You Eat a Balloon
The balloon is not for eating. It has no taste and no nutritional value. If you have a strong desire to chew plastic or other balloons, remember its small pieces can cause big problems. So, don’t chew or swallow this latex-made item.
What To Do If You Swallow a Balloon
When you realize that anyone swallows the balloon, first check the size kids swallow. If it is so small it will glide down in his esophagus. You should not be scared, it will pass out with stool.
If the plastic or latex of a balloon is bigger, it causes choking hazards, sore throat, and pain in the chest or the abdomen. Straight away after it occurs, it is good to give the patient 5-8 spoons full of any cooking oil to reduce the friction. It will slide the object down into the stomach easily.
But if you observe the following symptoms:
- Massive coughing
- Difficult in breathing
- Change the skin color
Immediately call the doctor now it is an emergency case and the health advisor best handles it.
Remember: Don’t try to induce vomit. It creates adverse choking and pain in the kid’s throat.
What Happens If You Swallow a Water Balloon
Most people use saline water balloons for weight loss. It is a nonsurgical method that is done under the strict control of the doctor. In this process, the doctor checks the stomach and all about your medical history. If this process is successful it will certainly reduce the 20 to 25kg weight in six months.
If a child swallows a water balloon and no negative sign appears, it will certainly pass out with feces. It takes 24 to 48 hours.
What Happens If You Swallow a Piece of Balloon
A small piece of torn balloon shows dangerous potential choking hazards. The basic reason for this is that it is flexible and easily stuck into the throat and lungs. Empty balloons and pieces of balloons are equally dangerous. Even a small piece can block the throat by molding to the kid’s throat, making breathing impossible.
Can Balloons Be Digested
The stomach acid could not digest the balloon. If it stays for a month then it degrades slowly which is not possible because the stomach could not store things for such a long duration.
Animals, especially marine or aquatic fish mistake balloons for food particles for their bright color. It causes the blockage of the stomach and intestine which may lead to starvation.
The basic component of a balloon is latex rubber. It does not degrade quickly enough to avoid ingestion by aquatic animals. It is dangerous for their digestive system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Balloons Weights Toxic?
If a child selects a balloon and approaches it, a balloon weight is a very easy target to swallow or simply insert into its mouth. It will be dangerous because some balloon weights have sharp edges that hurt their mouth. It also has choking hazards.
Is Balloon Powder Toxic?
Latex balloons have a powder that aids in releasing them from molds when manufactured in a factory. This powder contains latex proteins that can cause some people to have an intense allergic reaction.
Final Words
Sometimes very common and little things create big crises like swallowing a balloon. Many cases of death have been reported in this respect. Children have no sense of what is good or what will be harmful to them.
They try to taste everything and for this, they often swallow odd objects like a coin, button batteries, or balloons. In these cases, if an object is gliding in their stomach it will exit in one or two days but in the case of a balloon, it will stick to the back of their throat.
This serious condition can be alarming but luckily we have discussed all issues and side effects on babies. Be careful and keenly observe the child while playing or eating. This care can avoid you from big mishaps.
