Accidentally swallowed gum. What happens if a child swallows gum and what to do in this case. Reasons for swallowing various objects by children

Sealants 14.07.2020

Sealants

It would seem that something terrible will happen from swallowing chewing gum? We all accidentally or deliberately swallowed it in childhood. However, not everything is so simple and unambiguous. If a child swallows gum, the parent subconsciously worries and fears the consequences. Is this situation harmless or, on the contrary, terrible?

Swallowed chewing gum can cause serious health problems for the child.

In childhood, adults scared us that if you swallow gum, it will not leave the body and stick to the walls of the stomach. Or it will be even worse - it will sink into the intestines and stick it together. Then there is no need for surgery. But this is a delusion.

What is included in modern chewing gum:

sweeteners;
flavors;
wax;
gum;
taste stabilizers;
dyes;
emulsifiers.

One swallowed chewing gum will be digested in the stomach without harm to health.

In the bouquet of chemical components there is nothing useful for the child's body, but there is nothing particularly toxic either. If a child swallows gum, it will be easily digested in the stomach under the influence of digestive enzymes and juices. It will take 6 to 10 hours to process chewing gum. In extreme cases, it will come out, after a day, naturally. The gum cannot glue or damage anything along the way.

The child swallowed some chewing gum

If an allergic reaction occurs, the child should be given an antihistamine and consult a doctor.

Diarrhea or constipation

After swallowing a large amount of chewing gum, such consequences are to be expected. Large and dense pieces of gum disrupt the bowels, and this causes long-term constipation. In different countries, cases have been recorded when children had to undergo surgery due to intestinal obstruction.

Diarrhea is also a common symptom of gum poisoning. Some of its components act on the intestines as a laxative, so they can provoke diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain.

If a child has diarrhea after chewing gum, fixing drugs should not be given to him. The gum should leave the body faster. When the condition of the baby does not improve, a visit to the doctor is required.

Constipation or diarrhea caused by swallowed gum requires immediate medical attention.

Actions of parents

What to do if a child swallows gum? You need to calm down and not panic. Find out how many pastilles the baby ate - one, two or more. A pair of rubber bands is not dangerous, the baby will not feel any discomfort. They will be excreted in the feces and will not harm the body.

Eaten a whole pack or more? Then the state and behavior of the child need control. If there were no symptoms during the day, the gum was digested. In case of severe pain in the abdomen, stool disorders, rashes, difficulty breathing, you cannot do without an examination by a specialist.

Summary

Even ordinary chewing gum can cause disastrous consequences. In addition to swallowing the product, the baby may accidentally inhale it into the respiratory tract, which will lead to suffocation. Do not leave children alone with dangerous objects and do not give chewing gum before 6 years.

As a child, were you also scared of all kinds of heavenly punishments, including a painful death when you swallowed chewing gum? You have grown up and now you are wondering if this is really harmful?
Let's get this over with, once and for all!

Chewing gum is meant to be chewed, obviously. But sometimes bad accidents happen.
Perhaps you swallow it with a sip of water ... Or maybe you just had nowhere to spit it out!
And you may have heard stories of chewing gum staying in your stomach for seven months, seven years, or some other absurdly long period.
The gum-swallowing myths were super popular when you were a kid, weren't they? Perhaps you still believe in the sad versions you heard as a child of what will happen.

So what really happens when you swallow gum?

Gastroenterologist Lisa Ganju, associate professor of medicine at NYU Langon Medical Center, answered the question of what happens in your digestive system when you swallow gum (and is it bad).

In general, it can be said that chewing gum passes through your digestive tract like any other food - but is not completely digested.
"If your digestive system can digest a tough steak - it can handle chewing gum, ”explains Ganju. Acids and enzymes are really able to cope with it. The only subtle point is that the chewing gum does not completely dissolve due to its chemical properties, and its residues are not absorbed in the small intestine. And, of course, there is no special period of time during which it "does not digest."

So yes, it can actually come out naturally!
And no, it will not stick to the intestines and form a huge "stone" of chewing gum. Even if it doesn't dissolve completely, Ganju says, it will simply be carried out along with other fecal matter, like, say, an unopened popcorn grain. The only time you'd be concerned about swallowing gum is if it's too big to pass through your esophagus, but you probably wouldn't think of swallowing it, and it's certainly hard to swallow without noticing!

Experts, however, advise against swallowing gum, but not for the reasons you might think.
“Chewing gum has absolutely no nutritional value. That is why it should not be swallowed,” says Ganju. Besides, the whole point of gum is to chew it until the flavor is gone and then spit it out. "Gum won't hurt you or kill you, but it's counterintuitive to swallow it," adds Ganju.
And do not swallow large amounts of gum - you can simply choke on them. But the same recommendations are true for any large pieces of food.

That way the gum won't stay in your stomach and kill you. But it's still worth spitting it out.
So why is this myth of irreparable consequences so popular? Apparently, this is just a misunderstanding of the fact that chewing gum is not completely digested. But just because it is not digested and absorbed does NOT mean that it stays inside you! "It's like the myth that you will grow an apple tree inside if you swallow an apple seed," says Ganju. There are a lot of myths about health, and some of them are hard to dispel.

In addition, often artists find a better use for already chewed gum. For example, Douglas Copeland's Gum Head.

Welcome to my blog pages!

Chewing gum is one of the favorite treats for children. But kids sometimes forget that this is not a candy, and chewing gum should not be swallowed. Of course, if this happened, a big catastrophe would not happen.

But parents are seriously worried: if a child swallows gum, the consequences of this action can affect the health of the digestive tract. Is it so?

By itself, chewing gum has no health value. Even if manufacturers vying with each other tout their taste and try to present chewing gum as a salvation from caries, in reality this is not at all the case.

In order for a child to be given this treat, two conditions must be present: teeth and an understanding that the product cannot be swallowed. But the understanding that chewing gum cannot be swallowed comes no earlier than at 3 years.

But not always at this age the baby can follow his actions. Is chewing gum dangerous?

Effects

Depending on what chewing gum the child swallowed, and how it behaves in the stomach, the following consequences can be foreseen:

Poisoning

The composition of the delicacy includes wax, gum, thickeners, flavors, stabilizers - you see, not the best composition of the product for a child. Adult chewing gums are considered especially harmful. Once in the stomach, the gum decomposes and releases toxic substances.

In some cases, it may not decompose and pass out of the body with vomit or feces. This is the best outcome of what happened, since intoxication is reduced. However, do not worry: in order for the poisoning to be strong, you need to swallow about a pack of chewing gum.

Allergic reaction

We all remember what an attractive smell, and sometimes the color of chewing gum. Manufacturers get a similar effect thanks to chemicals.

When ingested, they can cause an allergic reaction. Signs of a beginning allergy can be a rash, abdominal cramps, heartburn, diarrhea, and belching.

Diarrhea

Even if the baby spit out the gum, but he has bloating, loose stools, you should think about stopping feeding the child with dubious treats.

The chewing gum contains a sweetener that has a laxative effect. Be sure to monitor the color of the stool: if it turns black, consult a doctor.

Constipation

The opposite of the previous and even more dangerous situation. Constipation occurs if a lump of gum gets stuck in the intestines or anus. This situation is dangerous intestinal obstruction.

Clump stuck

If, in addition to chewing gum, a child regularly swallows the peel of seeds, bites his nails, swallows fruits with small seeds, these wastes stick together in the intestines. A lump is formed that prevents the passage of food and feces.

As you can see, chewing gum may not be dangerous, but in combination with other factors, it can lead to surgery.

What to do?

What to do if the chewing gum still passed into the stomach? We act according to the symptoms that arise:

At the first sign of poisoning, try to induce vomiting. To do this, let the child drink a lot of boiled water, then put your fingers in his mouth. It's good if the gum comes out with water.
With increased diarrhea and gas, monitor the stool: its color and quantity. If the diarrhea does not subside during the day, the unpleasant symptoms increase, and the stools turn black, go to the hospital immediately.
For allergies, you can give an antihistamine and an enterosorbent: Enterosgel, activated charcoal or Smektu.
For constipation, give your baby a teaspoon of vegetable oil.

Watch how the baby behaves. If he is calm and does not feel unwell, the product will soon leave the digestive tract.

If a child has swallowed a foreign object, Dr. Komarovsky advises parents to induce vomiting in the baby. But if the object does not come out or causes pain and discomfort to the baby, you must definitely call an ambulance.

And remember, dear readers: adults need chewing gum to freshen their breath after eating, smoking or drinking. It doesn't matter to kids at all. It is better to brush your teeth again after eating with a brush and toothpaste.

See you soon on my blog!

In one of the previous articles, we already talked about that, and the answer was disappointing. Today we will try to answer the question of what will happen if you swallow gum and what to do in this situation. In the process of addressing this issue, we will also debunk several common myths about chewing gum.

Let's try to figure out what happens if you swallow gum. It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question, because anything from the following list can happen:

Food poisoning.
Allergy attack.
Diarrhea.
Constipation.
Nothing will happen.

In order not to violate the order of the points, we will first discuss what can happen if you swallow gum, starting with the first item on our list.

How does chewing gum cause food poisoning?

Food poisoning occurs when poor quality chewing gum, which consists of toxic and poisonous ingredients, is swallowed. Unfortunately, such chewing gum exists to this day, and all over the world. The point here is not even in clandestine industries that make fakes, because even completely legal enterprises for the production of chewing gum supply chewing gum with toxic substances to the shelves.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult for non-specialists to point out bad gums, so you should not swallow gums of unknown brands.

What should I do if I swallowed chewing gum of unknown content? First you need to induce vomiting and see if you can get rid of low-quality chewing gum in this way. If it worked out, you need to observe the reaction of the body and decide according to the circumstances, if it doesn’t help, go to the hospital, let them decide how to help.

Cases where swallowing chewing gum leads to an allergy attack

In some cases, an allergy can also appear from one chewing gum, but it is much more likely that the body will respond inadequately to a large number of chewing gums swallowed. Do not think that this will not happen, because children and adults often do not understand the dangers of chewing gum. Often it is swallowed on a dare or simply by negligence.

What to do if you swallow gum with an allergen? If, after a child or adult has swallowed gum, they begin to show signs of an allergy, you should take an antiallergic drug and try to remove the gum by vomiting. Also find out how many chewing gums have been swallowed to know if there is still something left in the body.

If you managed to get rid of the chewing gum yourself, then make sure that the victim does not subsequently develop an allergy. If the gum didn’t come out or there was a lot of it, you should go to the hospital, because it is likely that you can’t do without professional help.

Diarrhea attack

To earn yourself diarrhea, you need to chew several packs of chewing gum per day. If you swallow gum, you need much less.

Since this fact raises doubts among many people, because they once swallowed more than a dozen chewing gums (often at different times), we will cite data from the famous English medical publication "The Lancet".

“Each chewing gum always contains some kind of sweetener (xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol or lures), which is also a laxative. That is why the ingestion of a large amount of any of them into the human body triggers diarrhea, in rare cases - abdominal pain or flatulence. It should be noted that there are other symptoms.

In the same publication, a slightly different case was described when the boy chewed about ten packs of gum a day, after which his heart rate doubled - up to 147 beats per minute, trips to the toilet became more frequent and excessive aggression appeared. All of this was due to the small dose of caffeine in each gum pad.

Probably, when swallowing, you can also achieve such serious consequences, because if a child swallows a few chewing gums, his level of excitement will jump noticeably, his heart rate will accelerate, and then according to the well-known scenario.

In the event that swallowed chewing gum has caused diarrhea, you should get rid of chewing gum and drink plenty of fluids (compote, water).

Constipation

How long does chewing gum take to digest? If a small portion is swallowed, then the process of its digestion will take from six to ten hours or a little more. What happens if you swallow gum the size of a tennis ball?

Are you saying this doesn't happen? If you believe the publication in the journal "Pediatrix", this happens. By the way, it is not necessary to swallow the whole lump at once, you can gradually - plate after plate. Apparently, two four-year-old children did just that, from the rectum of which, after prolonged constipation, large lumps of chewing gum were extracted. So, it is better to be on the alert, and immediately consult a doctor, even if you suspect.

Nothing will happen

In the most common case, after swallowing the gum, no abnormalities will be noticed. This option possible if only one gum without harmful components is swallowed. It will come out easily after a while.

Still, you should not swallow gum, because there are too many not fully studied components that can bring negative consequences, albeit invisible.

A small child is such a restless creature that constantly requires the attention and vigilant control of mom, dad and grandmother. As soon as the baby has learned to crawl, and then to walk, he begins to learn the world, various objects. And it's good if he just took a book, a spoon or any other object to play. But young children love to try different things. And sometimes a mother, not seeing how her miracle swallowed a battery or a designer part, cannot understand why he suddenly felt ill, and where this terrible cough came from.

The desire of the baby to taste everything is nothing more than a natural reaction to the outside world, a craving to explore the surrounding things with the help of taste buds. But often, with one lick and an attempt to gnaw on the thing under investigation, the matter does not end there. As a rule, the last stage of acquaintance with the object is its swallowing. How to be in such a situation, what to do in the first place, and what absolutely cannot be done? All this in our today's article.

Select the desired item:

What to do if a child swallows a foreign part - table

The eaten little thing can leave the body itself. But since this is rare, you should not sit over the child and wait for this moment. You need to immediately provide first aid to prevent dangerous consequences.

Each swallowed object can behave differently in the body. In addition, the algorithm of actions is also different. For example, if a baby swallows a button (a streamlined, smooth object), it can come out on its own. Larger and more dangerous (needle, magnet, battery) objects can linger in the digestive tract and cause trouble. In this case, you need to call a doctor or take the baby to a medical facility.

And since swallowed products behave differently in the child's body and their traumatic effect is also different, the first aid algorithm will also be different. More details about first aid in the table.

Subject	signs	What to do
Magnet magnetic ball	If the baby swallowed the part, but you did not see it, you can suspect something was wrong by the appearance of a runny nose, cough, and pain in the abdomen.	You can not induce vomiting on your own, give food. The first thing to do is call a doctor. Untimely access to a doctor is fraught with disastrous consequences. A magnet with sharp edges can injure the gastrointestinal mucosa. If there are several magnets swallowed, they can be attracted to each other, seriously injuring the intestines.
Mounting foam	There may be pain in the abdomen.	Foam can solidify in the intestines and create an insurmountable barrier to the movement of feces. In this case, you need to show the baby to the doctor. The sooner the object is removed, the sooner the baby's condition returns to normal.
Battery	The object may get stuck in the throat. In this case, coughing, suffocation may occur. In addition, it is possible to change the chair. The stool will turn greenish or black. Often there is an increase in body temperature, vomiting and loss of consciousness.	If the baby begins to choke, it is necessary to induce vomiting. Next, you need to call an ambulance or take the child to the hospital.
Drawing pin A piece of glass Metal products with uneven edges	Accompanied by active salivation, coughing, suffocation, reddening of the face, hiccups, vomiting, blood in the stool.	You need to call a doctor immediately. It is equally important to examine the baby's mouth for splinters. It is impossible to extract fragments that are localized in the region of the palatoglossal arch.
Gum	One swallowed chewing gum is usually not accompanied by symptoms. If a child has swallowed several chewing gums, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea may occur.	One swallowed chewing gum is not dangerous for the baby. If he "ate" a lot of chewing gum, you need to watch for a while. If there are deviations, you must make an appointment with a doctor
Coin	The appearance of anxiety, irritability, tearfulness is noted. In addition, regurgitation, shortness of breath, cough, increased salivation may occur.	If the baby's condition worsens significantly due to a swallowed coin, consult a doctor immediately.
Button	Symptoms are often absent.	No need to stuff the baby with laxatives or induce vomiting. If the baby's condition is normal, wait, the button will come out with the feces. If your child's behavior changes, see your doctor.
Boltik metal ball	Accompanied by hiccups, salivation, irritability, pain in the abdomen.	The baby needs to be taken to the hospital. There it should be until the foreign object comes out with feces.
Needle	When such objects enter the digestive system, the appearance of profuse salivation, coughing, anxiety, sweating, and fever are noted.	Immediately call a doctor or take a small patient to the hospital. Do not allow the child to move a lot (this is fraught with moving a sharp object into soft tissues). It is contraindicated to give laxatives, induce vomiting or shake the baby.
Mercury	The appearance of malaise, high fever, headache, increased salivation, pain in the abdomen, diarrhea is noted.	In this case, the threat is not the balls of mercury themselves, but its evaporation. Inhalation of vapors of the substance is fraught with damage to the central nervous system, kidneys and lungs. In such a situation, it is contraindicated to delay. Need to call quickly ambulance. Parents, while the ambulance is on the way, need to cause the baby to vomit.
Medications (tablet, capsule)	The first manifestations will appear after the substances begin to be absorbed into the blood. Symptoms will depend on which drug was swallowed. Perhaps the appearance of irritability, convulsions, fainting, nausea and vomiting, fever.	The first thing to do is call an ambulance. Before her arrival, it is necessary to wash the stomach, induce vomiting, and then give several tablets of an activated or other sorbent
Hydrogel silica gel	Ingestion of such chemicals into the stomach is fraught with severe intoxication.	It is necessary to call a doctor, wash the stomach and give an absorbent to drink.
Foil	The appearance of lethargy, irritability, malaise is noted	You need to call a doctor. Before the arrival of the doctor, it is forbidden to induce vomiting, feed or drink, give laxatives.
Plasticine	There is the appearance of lethargy, capriciousness. Perhaps the appearance of allergic manifestations (rashes).	A small piece of plasticine is harmless. If a large piece enters the gastrointestinal tract, it is fraught with intestinal obstruction. You need to take the child to the doctor.
cotton wool	As a rule, it is not accompanied by any symptoms.	Observe the child's behavior and condition. Call a doctor if necessary.
Plastic products	If the swallowed object is small and without sharp edges, symptoms may not appear. If a piece of plastic is swallowed, malaise, abdominal pain, tearfulness, and blood in the stool may occur.	Observe the stool of a small patient. If there are any suspicious signs, take him to the hospital.
Tooth	There are no symptoms.	Often, a tooth, once in the digestive tract, leaves the body naturally. You can't induce vomiting. If the child's behavior changes, or if the condition worsens, contact the hospital.
fruit stone	There may be pain in the epigastrium, blood in the feces.	As a rule, the bones from fruits come out with feces. If this does not happen, see a doctor.
fish bone	Appearance of cough, suffocation, salivation is noted.	The child needs to be taken to the hospital.

The following items are the most dangerous if swallowed:

Having large sizes. This is fraught with intestinal obstruction due to blockage by a foreign body.
Having sharp and piercing edges. If such objects enter the gastrointestinal tract, it is fraught with a puncture of the walls of the stomach or intestines, which will necessitate an operation.
Small batteries in the form of tablets. Inside such products there is an electrode, which in the esophagus or stomach can give a discharge and injure organs.

Reasons for swallowing various objects by children

Foreign bodies in children's bellies are more likely than in adults to operate on appendicitis or diagnose pathologies of the cardiovascular system, in particular heart attack. According to statistics, every fifth child in the world swallows something that is clearly unfit for food. Each parent needs to be as vigilant as possible so that a small alien little thing does not do big trouble.

So why does the baby constantly pull everything he sees into his mouth? The main thing is to understand a simple truth, the child is not to blame for accidentally swallowing a ring or a button. In childhood, there are several objective physiological reasons why the kids swallow all sorts of uselessness. The main thing is not to blame him and in no case scold him. All you need to do if you see that your child “had breakfast” with a pen cap is to help him and call a doctor.

The main reasons for the knowledge of everything around through swallowing include:

lack of an adequate assessment of the physical parameters of objects. The child does not understand that the thing is sharp, hot, hard, or at least inedible;
lack of self-preservation instinct. It costs nothing for a kid to pull an object into his mouth that only repels an adult by its very appearance;
no negative experience. The program “do not put kaku in your mouth” is not laid down at the genetic level. The kid needs to feel the problem in practice. Only in this way will he be able to understand that this cannot be done, otherwise his stomach will hurt and an unfamiliar uncle in a white coat will come.

Even if there was already a sad experience, the baby could simply not learn it. In other words, several similar situations are needed in order to develop the reflex “you can’t take it in your mouth, gnaw, lick it”

Lack of proper communication. Young children are not yet able to share negative experiences, they are not able to discuss different situations, in particular those that happened to them. In other words, the child cannot tell that he swallowed the detail of the designer, the mother panicked and called the doctors, who came and began to scold.

In general, children do not yet realize the gravity of the situation, they do not know what it is fraught with. It remains for you, at, to provide first aid and consult a doctor so that nothing bad happens to your baby.

What age children are more likely to experience the problem?

Toddlers may pull an object into their mouth as soon as they can reach it. And this means that the "starting point" when mom and dad need to be especially vigilant is the seventh or eighth month of life. That is, when a child begins to crawl and in every possible way tries to reach out to the unknown.

At this time, small things seem to be created so that parents are constantly in suspense. Since the baby's vision in the first year of life is imperfect, and he is only learning to focus it, he will first of all fix his eyes on something bright and small that will be in his way.

Sometimes new mothers are saved by the fact that, due to imperfect vision, the child may simply not see a dangerous object nearby, even if it is very close. But in no case should you hope that the child will not notice the dangerous little thing.

According to statistics, most often children swallow foreign parts between the ages of one and three. During this period, they become more nimble, many are already taking their first steps, which means that the reach zone of the “toy”, which must be tried without fail, is increasing.

Parents should always be on the lookout. It should be understood that the age of little “swallowers” is not limited to either three or six years. Then the age of various experiments will begin, when children on purpose or consciously can try an inedible thing. This is especially true for those who go to kindergarten or have many friends, and subconsciously try to brag to the rest of their achievements.

A child of school age, even while at home, teaching lessons, may inadvertently swallow an object that had previously simply procrastinated in the mouth. And there are many such examples. Therefore, parents should always be on their guard, even if the child is already 7 years old.

How to understand that the child ate inedible

The fact that a baby has swallowed a small item, be it a bead, a coin or a nut, often goes unnoticed. Mom can find out about this by chance when the eaten item comes out with feces. And it's good if it ends like this. But in fact, more often than not, things happen a little differently.

And only an attentive parent can suspect something was wrong. It should be alarming that the child suddenly became whiny, his behavior changed dramatically. In this case, the baby may feel guilty, which is why he stops behaving as he usually does.

In this case, you need to try to talk to him and try to find out if he accidentally swallowed the “colored candy”. Moreover, the conversation should be calm, the tone should be affectionate. Believe me, you will not achieve anything by shouting, the child will close in on himself, and in every possible way will refuse to make contact. Even if he becomes ill, he will tolerate it, but will not tell you anything.

If the child is still very young and unable to tell you what happened, you can understand what happened to him by the following signs. Often, the entry of a foreign body into the child's gastrointestinal tract (especially if it is more than 1 cm) manifests itself immediately and is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

sharp sudden choking;
crying;
increased salivation;
belching;
nausea and vomiting;
a change in the characteristics of feces, for example, the appearance of mucus in them;
behavior disorder;
loss of consciousness (in rare cases);
blanching;
loss of appetite;
an increase in temperature.

Most often, children swallow foreign objects that do not exceed the diameter of the esophagus, and hence the entire gastrointestinal tract, and this, in turn, means that the part can come out naturally. Sometimes, due to a delay in the folds of the gastrointestinal tract, the object does not come out with the feces.

In this case, you need to take the child to the hospital. Do not hesitate to visit a specialist, this is fraught with disastrous consequences.

What actions are contraindicated

In a panic, we can, albeit unconsciously, but exacerbate the situation. In order not to harm the baby even more, every parent should know what absolutely cannot be done if the child has swallowed something inedible.

1. In no case do not shake the baby, do not beat him on the back, do not turn him upside down (in the hope that the object will fall out). Such actions are fraught with the unfolding of an object in a narrow place, a shift in Airways, trauma to the gastrointestinal mucosa.

2. Don't force your baby to eat a crust of bread if he chokes on a fish bone. This is fraught with injury to the esophageal mucosa.

Do not take out the swallowed product yourself, either with your fingers or with tweezers. This should be done by a doctor, and using sterile instruments.

3. If the baby has a cough or he began to choke, and the ambulance has not yet arrived, place him on your knee face down. In this case, the upper half of the body should be lowered. Tap lightly between your shoulder blades with your fingers.

Chewing gum is a sweet that children love. The child likes it because of the pleasant smell, and because of the taste, and because of the unusual viscous consistency. Often chewing gum is not only a treat, but also a toy, which causes concern for parents. The baby may choke on the gum, choke, or accidentally swallow it. It is worth figuring out what needs to be done in such situations and whether it is dangerous for the child's body.

What are the dangers of swallowing chewing gum?

Chewing gum contains components that are partially digested in the stomach. And what is not split is sent through the digestive tract and comes out naturally. You should not worry about a child who accidentally swallowed sweets, since the incident will not affect either his well-being or health. The body will need more time to remove the chewing mass, but this will happen without harm to the internal organs.

Raising a panic is rational in two cases:

If the baby has swallowed a large amount of chewing gum. For example, more than one pack.
If he has diseases of the digestive tract or individual intolerance to the components.

It is worth worrying if the person who swallowed the gum suffers from diverticulitis, which causes narrowing of the intestine, or Crohn's disease. In this case, chewing gum will clog already narrow areas, which is fraught with discomfort, constipation, spasms.

So, What happens if you swallow too much gum? It should be noted that these symptoms are quite rare. And only in those cases when the baby ate several chewing plates. A child who has swallowed a very large amount of chewing gum is expected to have the following possible consequences:

Food poisoning caused by swallowing chewing gum is only possible if the product is of poor quality. Manufacturers may use harmful substitutes unknown nutritional supplements and other ingredients of little known origin. On the this moment the number of companies producing such chewing gum is reduced to a minimum. However, you should give preference to buying sweets from well-known companies.

What to do if a child swallows gum?

If by chance infant swallowed chewing gum, what only a doctor will advise you to do. You should not hope that the mass will be excreted by the body on its own. In this case, a visit to the doctor is vital. Parents should keep chewing gum away from babies, as young children swallow gum immediately, feeling the pleasant aroma and sweet aftertaste.

What to do if a baby swallows gum:

For diarrhea, give medicine.
In case of allergic attacks - lubricate skin redness with special creams.
For constipation - do an enema as prescribed by a doctor.
With nausea - give more water to drink, do not stop vomiting.

As mentioned above, if a child swallows gum, then it will come out naturally. You should only worry if the baby has eaten a whole pack or several packs. This is very dangerous for human health, especially if he is young. An urgent consultation with a doctor and monitoring of the child's condition is necessary.

The main thing that a parent should do in such a situation is to make every effort to normalize the work of a young organism. It is advisable to drink more water and eat more high-fiber foods - cereals, vegetables, legumes. More detailed recommendations will be given by the doctor, depending on the specific situation and the well-being of the baby.

Precautionary measures

To avoid such incidents, you must adhere to the following rules:

Parents should not neglect safety measures if the baby has eaten chewing gum. Even if there was a small amount of sweetness in the stomach, it is necessary to monitor the condition and well-being of children. You do not need to do anything specific - it is important to make sure that baby feels good. It is also desirable to make sure that the mass has left his body.

Chewing gum is a delicacy made from an inedible base richly flavored with flavoring and aromatic additives, food coloring. Dentists recommend using sugar-free chewing gum every time after eating, if there is no other way to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth.

The viscous substance helps to remove food particles stuck between the teeth and prevents the formation of plaque.

It is also one of the most favorite treats for children. Whatever flavors, shapes and sizes gum is produced: in balls, plates, ribbons, inside caramel, all kinds of geometric shapes. Adults prefer chewing gums with refreshing flavors, children are more likely to choose fruit and berry gums.

Read also:

This delicacy is not to be swallowed. Taking a fresh plate, you can chew it for no more than 10 minutes, and then throw it away. During this time, the product will fulfill its hygienic properties and lose its taste. Discarded chewing gum in a hot climate will decompose for at least three decades, and in a cold one it can lie for centuries. If this substance is so resistant to decay, what will happen to the gum if it is swallowed by a child or an adult?

To discourage children from this delicacy, adults invent various horror stories, such as “Swallow gum, and it will always be inside you! The intestines will stick together and the stomach will hurt! Is it true? Is an accidentally swallowed lump really that dangerous to health?

As soon as chewing gum enters our mouth, the body takes various measures to digest it. First, saliva with its digestive enzymes is used. Then, if the chewing gum has been swallowed, the gastric digestive juices are included in the work. With those substances that the body cannot cope with, it usually breaks up, that is, it looks for ways to remove them. After numerous tests, it was found that the rubber ball will completely leave the body in 24-48 hours.

Seems like no problem. However, doctors do not recommend swallowing gum frequently. Since it can accumulate and subsequently make it difficult to defecate. Watch how the child eats chewing gum, and if he accidentally swallowed it, then you need to do the following:

you can try to induce vomiting so that the chewing lump comes out. Be careful here so that the child does not choke;
let the baby drink more, this will speed up the metabolic processes and contribute to the fastest removal of the foreign body from the body;
improves the work of the digestive tract vegetable fiber, which is abundant in vegetables and fruits;
if no measures have led to a positive result, go to the hospital, experts will prompt the right decision.

Although it is argued that accidentally swallowed chewing gum will not harm health, and after a certain period it will be excreted from the body naturally, there are still negative consequences of this negligence. In children, atypical reactions are more often observed, since their body is not as strong as in adults.

The gum may not get into the esophagus, but into the respiratory tract, and the baby simply choke. You need to cough well, provoke spitting out the gum back. The child needs to be tilted face down and a good knock between the shoulder blades. It is not recommended to pull out a foreign body from the larynx on your own. In extremely severe cases, urgently call an ambulance.
Food poisoning can be triggered by toxic substances found in low-grade chewing gum. Therefore, be careful about the sweets that you give to children. If you are buying chewing gum for your child, take the one that says "for children." In case of poisoning, you need to induce vomiting, rinse the stomach, and take the little patient to the hospital.
Constipation or diarrhea. Such consequences are extremely rare if only one chewing gum is swallowed, and then by accident. But if the child systematically does this, then such stomach upsets can be observed. The composition of sweets includes various food additives, which in large quantities can provoke an attack of diarrhea (weakening of bowel functions). At the same time, each organism has its own reaction, causing diarrhea in some, and constipation in others. Recommended diet food, more liquid (water, unsweetened compote), medicines directed action.
An allergic reaction can occur not only due to swallowing, but also during chewing. This is explained very simply: the product most likely contained allergen substances for a particular organism. Allergic reactions can be completely different: from skin rashes and itching to swelling of the throat. Help solve the problem antihistamines and maximum exclusion from pathogens.

😉 Greetings, dear readers and guests of the site! The child swallowed the gum. Is it dangerous for his health and what to do if such a nuisance happened.

Composition of chewing gum

Oddly enough, but this thing is a confectionery product, only inedible. It consists of an elastic base - synthetic polymers, which is covered with flavoring and aromatic fillers.

In the process of chewing and sucking, all the delicious food additives dissolve, leaving only the base. It has fulfilled its function, it must be thrown away. It is important to remember that the “gum” is chewed after eating and no more than 7 minutes.

Any parent panics about the fact that his child swallowed chewing gum. But there is no need to make a tragedy about this. Everyone knows that young children love to put everything attractive in their mouths. And chewing gum, in addition to its tempting form, has an appetizing smell and taste.

What to do if a child swallows chewing gum

In most cases, adult anxiety is based on fictional stories that gum can stick to the walls of the intestines or stomach. And its extraction is available only through a surgical operation. But such horror stories have nothing to do with reality.

Initially, you need to know that the acidic environment of the stomach is so strong that it can easily cope with any kind of chewing gum in a few hours. But still, there are unpleasant consequences that little fidgets can expect when swallowing toffees in large quantities.

Poisoning is possible, but not because of the gum, but because of its composition. Indeed, in the manufacture of this delicacy, ingredients are used: wax, thickeners, gum and others. And when they enter the stomach, they decompose, and toxic substances are released into the body. At the first sign of intoxication, try to cause a gag reflex in your child.

To do this, the baby needs to drink a lot of boiled water. Then use your fingers to make him vomit. The gummies should come out with the water you drink. But basically, this sweetness completely comes out simultaneously with vomit or feces.

Important point

In case of intolerance to one of the components, an allergic reaction is possible. With the appearance of a rash, heartburn, abdominal pain, belching or diarrhea, we can talk about the beginning of an allergy in a child. If possible, give the baby an antihistamine medicine or enterosorbent (for example).

Also, the result of the use of such a product is diarrhea. After all, any chewing candy has a sweetener, which in turn has a laxative effect.

If the child has liquid stool or bloating, this indicates indigestion. Carefully monitor its gas formation and the color of feces. If a unpleasant symptoms do not subside, and the feces acquire a rich black color, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Constipation can be another consequence of chewing gum. This is due to the fact that if a lump of chewing gum gets stuck in anus. AT this case try giving your baby a small spoonful of natural oil.

When it enters digestion, the fecal mass permeability increases and intestinal blockages get rid of. But if this does not help, you need to see a doctor.

This situation is considered more dangerous and may result in intestinal obstruction. Very rarely, but still there are such cases with negative consequences. Therefore, try to give your baby as much attention as possible and watch what he eats.

There are cases when chewing gum gets into the respiratory tract. In the best case, the baby clears his throat on his own.

If the baby continues to cough, help him. Tilt your baby's head forward. Then make a few claps on your upper back with the base of your hand. If the foreign object does not come out, you need to call an ambulance.

So what can happen:

Poisoning (poor quality product, toxic substances, dyes).
Allergy attack.
Diarrhea.
Entry of a foreign object into the respiratory tract.
Constipation lasting 6-10 hours.
Nothing will happen if this gum is free of harmful components.

Chewing gum: benefits and harms

Pros:

cleans teeth;
freshens breath;
strengthens the jaw;
restores the alkaline balance in the mouth;
when chewing, the gums are massaged (prevention of periodontal disease).

Minuses

if you use the "gum" on an empty stomach, there is a reflex of the body. The digestive system begins to secrete gastric juice, preparing to digest food. Food does not come in and gastric juice begins to corrode the walls of the stomach. Diseases appear - gastritis or an ulcer;
some ingredients (for example, sorbitol) have a laxative effect;
Experts do not recommend giving chewing gum to children under the age of 6.

Video

Additional information to the article in this video: "What to do if a child swallows gum"

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So what really happens when you swallow gum?

Gastroenterologist Lisa Ganju, Associate Professor of Medicine medical center Langon at New York University, answered the question of what happens in your digestive system when you swallow gum (and is it bad).

In general, it can be said that chewing gum passes through your digestive tract like any other food - but is not completely digested.
“If your digestive system can handle a tough steak, it can handle chewing gum,” Ganju explains. Acids and enzymes are really able to cope with it. The only subtle point is that the chewing gum does not dissolve completely due to its chemical properties, and its residues are not absorbed into small intestine. And, of course, there is no special period of time during which it "does not digest."

Experts, however, advise against swallowing gum, but not for the reasons you might think.
“Chewing gum has absolutely no nutritional value. That is why it should not be swallowed,” says Ganju. Besides, the whole point of gum is to chew it until the flavor is gone and then spit it out. "Gum won't hurt you or kill you, but it's counterintuitive to swallow it," adds Ganju.
And do not swallow large amounts of gum - you can simply choke on them. But the same recommendations are true for any large pieces of food.