Emergency or NOT?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.

So my 17 yo, 185 lb, 5'10 son swallowed a 2" by 1" piece of plastic the other night that he was chewing on. He was just chewing on this hard piece of plastic that had broken off of his cooler or something. He started to choke on it, coughed it up and swallowed it. This happened two nights ago. I'm not an alarmist. I told him it will come through the gut and out in the poop. He has had no adverse symptoms as of yet and is checking his poop. I did talk to a nursy friend today who wanted to know WHY I didn't take him to the ER post-haste and have that thing removed. She was appalled that I didn't bring him in. Thoughts?

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

How hard a plastic?

Wouldn't it have sharp corners that cut his GI tract or lodge somewhere?

And what's going to feel like when it passes through the rectum?

i think you might want to contact a gastroenterologist

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Sorry we can not give medical advise. Talk to your health care provider

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Specializes in Education.

I'm guessing that she isn't an ER nurse.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

We cannot provide the medical advice you need per TOS. Please contact his healthcare provider.

We do hope all is o.k.

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