Children play with different types of toys. You may also remember your teddy bear with glittering eyes made of glass marble. You will have also tried to snatch it but could not get it. Some children are successful in pulling out the eyes of their teddy bears and swallowing them like candies. This situation can be frustrating to parents and they inquired about swallowing odd objects. Let’s find out:
What happens if you swallow a marble? Don’t be panic, in 90% of case non poisonous glass marble pass through the gastrointestinal tract without harming it but sometimes if it enters in trachea causes massive coughing, chest pain, blockage, and even death
Items that are small, round, and inert never cause problems but marble with a rough surface, large in size, and sharp edges may hurt your GI tract. Here, in this article, we will describe all possible aspects of swallowing marble, its medical solution, and first aid treatment.
Let’s begin.
What Happens If You Swallow a Marble
Infants and toddlers, especially those between 6 months to 3 years are very curious about the things they see around them. They often judge things by taste. They bring everything in their mouth to check but sometimes engulf it accidentally. This can be scary. Mothers worry a lot about their kids. One of these items is a glass or metal marble.
Smooth and shiny marble glides easily in their esophagus and also from the stomach to the intestine without any harm. If the child shows no severe symptoms you have to watch poop to make sure it exits safely.
What to Do If You Swallow a Marble
Marble is mostly made of smooth glass. It does not have any sharp edges. It does not damage the delicate intestinal surface. The expectation is that it will ultimately emerge through the child’s fecal matter. Patience is necessary at this time.
After ingesting some odd thing if some symptoms appear like
Coughing, drooling blood saliva, gagging, fever, and vomiting occur you readily consult pediatric
Pain in the neck, chest, and throat is a big sign that marble glides to air passage instead of the stomach.
Call 911 if you see problems in breathing. They are wheezing or making strange sounds when they breathe. If they can’t speak, cry and cough, they should be taken to the emergency room.
What Should I Do While Waiting For The Ambulance
The man who engulfs the marble should not eat or drink until the doctor permits him. This is the case when he needs proper medical treatment for extracting the foreign object.
They need an empty stomach to do this.
One important thing to remember is not to try his vomit, this could lead to choking or block the air passage.
What To Be Expect in The Emergency Room
When you reach an emergency room the first question will be asked about the thing or object he swallowed. Healthcare provides a full physical examination.
An X-Ray may be taken that helps the doctor to know the accurate position of the marble
In some cases, the doctor advises a barium swallow test CT Scan may be done.
Swallowing Marbel Treatment Marble Evacuation
Treatment depends upon the sign and symptoms of the child and also on the object and its location.
The medical attendants may advise waiting. Smooth objects like marble have not gotten stuck.
It passes on its own in 24 to 48 hours. The movement of an object can be checked at different times by a series of X-Rays.
- A suction machine
In this process, a suction machine can pull the object out of the nose or ear.
- A bronchoscope
When marble enters the air passage it can block it. This method involves inserting a small scope to see and remove the object.
- Use of Retractor
Retractors are surgical instruments that may be used to remove an object stuck, and cause some dangerous health conditions.
- Use of Magnet
If a patient swallows metal objects magnets can be used to remove them such as metal marble
- Endoscopy
Endoscopy can be used to remove a stuck object or check any damage due to it. This technique is useful to remove the object from the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.
- Surgery
If the marble does not pass in a specific time and can’t be removed with endoscopy, surgery will be the final solution to save a life.
7. CT Scan
In some cases, a barium swallow test or computer tomography CT Scan may be done. This test tells you about the nature of the object that sometimes X-Rays do not show. CT Scan is helpful when you are worried about the rupture of the digestive tract.
8. Prevention
Keep the loose object away from children. These may be marble, batteries losing magnets, sharp objects, and harmful toys. Never give marbles to play under the age of 6.
What Happens If You Eat A Marble of Big Size
Marbles are non-poisonous and their smooth surface does not harm infants. But marbles show choking hazards so never give them to infants when they are alone. Your kids can pass most items that are big size, mainly spherical, slippery, and inert.
Our bowels and body do not like storing foreign bodies for a long time.
What Happens If You Swallow a Metal Marble
It is also round and smooth but can injure the thin delicate wall of the food pipe. It may cause bleeding in the middle cavity of the chest, and mediastinum. If entered into the stomach may hurt the gastrointestinal tract.
If children have no symptoms after swallowing marble balls. Wait until the object itself passes out of the digestive system.
Can You Die From Swallowing a Marble
As marbles are smooth spherical and inert there is no risk of cuts or bleeding. But choking hazards can be life-threatening. If it enters the trachea it causes the blockage. If you saw the following symptoms try to call for medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Wheezing sound
- Difficulty in breathing
- Chest pain
- Massive coughing
- Become flushed, then turn pale and unconscious.
- If your kid’s still conscious but they are not coughing or their coughing is not effective use back blows. This will produce artificial coughing, increase pressure in the chest, and help to dislodge the object.
- Give chest thrust if you know its technique
- If a choking child is an unconscious shout for help. Never leave the child for a single moment
Is It Safe To Swallow a Marble
Ingestion of foreign bodies is not safe, especially in the case of children who insert different items in their mouth without knowing its dangerous impact on health. Assuming the marble of glass is non-toxic, they are not life-threatening. But try to avoid taking it into the mouth because it is slippery and easily enters your food pipe.
How Long Does It Take Place To Pass a Swallowed Marble
Swallowing marble either by small children or adults is not very dangerous if it enters the stomach. In the stomach, they stay for some time, continue their journey from the small intestine to the large intestine, and finally enter the rectum. From here they exit with stool and all this process takes 24 hours to 48 hours
Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)
Can an Adult Swallow a Marble?
Small rounded marbles are least likely to cause complications when swallowed. If adults swallow it don’t be frightened it will never hurt you and safely exit from your digestive tract through stool.
But if they choked them. Called for a doctor to safely evacuate this foreign body.
How Do You Know if your Child is Stuck in Esophagus?
If you are not in your room and suddenly saw some symptoms it will tell you that your kid is choking
- Unable to talk or speak
- Noisy and difficulty breathing
- Cough massively and forcefully, or weakly
- Become red then pale or faint
- Lose consciousness
Bottom lines
Emergency conditions make you more wise, strong and alert. Young children always create some new situations in which foreign body ingestion is very common. In America, it is said that 90% of patients with Foreign body ingestion are children between 6 months to 3years. Fortunately, in 80% of infants and toddlers, objects pass through the gastrointestinal tract without harming patients.
Eating marble is one such condition. Parents are worried but often they have nothing to do except wait until that marble comes out through the stool. Choking hazards are always alarming and many patients suffer a lot before the medical emergency.
