Foreign object - inhaled or swallowed

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Foreign object - inhaled or swallowed

If you breath a foreign object into the respiratory tract, it may become stuckand cause respiratory problems, as well as inflammation and infection. See also choking.

If swallowed, a foreign object may become stuck along the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract, or pass through.

These injuries can occur at any age, but are most common in children ages 1 to 3.

• Certain foods (nuts, seeds, popcorn) and small objects (buttons, beads) are easily inhaled by young children. Such objects may cause either partial or total airway blockage.
• Coins, small toys, marbles, pins, screws, rocks, and anything else small enough for infants or toddlers to put in their mouths can be swallowed. If the object passes through the esophagus and into the stomach without getting stuck, it will probably pass through the entire digestive tract.

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