My Daughter Swallowed a Barrette!

[ChefJoyJ]

My daughter (12 months old) swallowed a barrette this morning at breakfast. Apparently, an almost 1 1/2 inch metal barrette with a flower on the end tastes pretty doggone good with blueberry pancakes and bananas.

We went to the peds office and right now it is in her stomach hanging out at the pyloris. They're not sure if it's hung up on the pyloris or was getting ready to pass through into her intestines. (The plyoris is the muscle that regulates the emptying of the stomach) If it's hung up, that's not so good, b/c she had some major stomach issues as an infant and at 6 months old, they operated on that part of her stomach and there is some scar tissue. Right now, we're on a wait and see pattern to see if it passes on it's own. If it hasn't passed in 2 weeks, we go back in for another X-ray and then an endoscopy to remove it.

So..please pray that it passes through the pyloris without damaging the scar tissue and passes easily through her intestines and on out...

 

[jrstephens]

Oh goodness! I will pray that it passes with no complications!

 

[katie0128]

What a way to start your morning! Prayers for your DD and for the barrette to reappear soon!

 

[PamperedTammy]

Joy--I will be praying that thing passes through. WOW! I remember my little sister years ago try to swallow a metal ball and it got hung in her throat and she started turning blue. It was definitely a scary moment. I hope the best for your little girl.

 

[chefjeanine]

Praying for your daughter!

 

[lkprescott]

May it pass smoothly and painlessly!

 

[heather223]

Wow! And I thought I had issues when my DD put earring backs into her inner ears this weekend!!

Hopefully it passes without any issues!

 

[EdraJayne]

"Apparently, an almost 1 1/2 inch metal barrette with a flower on the end tastes pretty doggone good with blueberry pancakes and bananas. "


Please forgive me, but this part of your thread made me do a weird little laugh snort that I am so glad no one heard. My Son who is now 5 ate a huge SCREW while helping my DH fix a dvd player when he was about that age. My husband had finished putting everything back together and the last screw was missing. When he asked my son where it was he smiled and pointed to his mouth. ER we went. His scrapbook proudly holds the exray of the screw in his stomach. Thankfully it passed without any complications. I pray for the same thing to happen to your sweetheart. Good luck with your diaper digging :yuck:

 

[sarahlegare]

Definately praying for your DD. My youngest, 22 months, just put all our toothbrushes in the toilet!! :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: Luckily my 4 yo saw her doing it & told me! GEESH!! Kids I tell ya!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Good luck with your diaper digging :yuck:

Yeah - not looking forward to that. I imagine I'll start having to examine them much more closely than I ever really wanted to tonight, if she has any more, or definitely tomorrow AM. Oh the fun the next 2 weeks look to be!!

My ped. said something about putting the barrette in her baby book, to which I promptly replied that I know where the barrette is going and it's not in her baby book... He laughed pretty hard and said he meant the "partner" barrette that I brought to show him what was in her stomach.

My worry is that it either gets caught up on the pyloris or twisted in her intestines or while coming out. I can't imagine that would be comfortable at all and there isn't much I can do to help, kwim?

Thanks for the prayers!!!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Definately praying for your DD. My youngest, 22 months, just put all our toothbrushes in the toilet!! :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: Luckily my 4 yo saw her doing it & told me! GEESH!! Kids I tell ya!

Sarah - Thank goodness your 4 yo saw this!! Can you imgaine brushing your teeth (all obliviously) until the truth came out?! :yuck: :yuck:

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Joy I hope it passes soon! I will say a prayer for you DD!

 

[EdraJayne]

My ped. said something about putting the barrette in her baby book, to which I promptly replied that I know where the barrette is going and it's not in her baby book...

Our DVD player has "the screw"... but that was just because it was an oddly shaped one (wide and long and at the top it was bent to snap into place) that we couldn't find a replacement for. My Husband to this day still refers to the dvd player as a "piece of Sh!&".


Weak stomachs stop reading now....

As for the diaper digging. I had a station outside in the backyard. A small table, a chair, a few plastic grocery bags, and a spoon. Being in the fresh air seemed to help with my need to vomit during the ordeal. :blushing:

 

[dymplz8]

Joy,

I will be praying for your little girl and I hope that barrette comes out without any further damage. This reminds me of last year when my son, 6yrs old put a rock in his ear (trying to impress a girl at school) and it got stuck and we had to go to the DR. to get it removed. It amazes me the things kids do.

 

[ChefJoyJ]

As for the diaper digging. I had a station outside in the backyard. A small table, a chair, a few plastic grocery bags, and a spoon. Being in the fresh air seemed to help with my need to vomit during the ordeal. :blushing:

Good idea on the diaper digging! I'm hoping the bright pink barrette with the pink and purple flower will just stand out, almost as if waving it's hand and saying - hi...I'm right here! I'll probably borrow your diaper digging station idea. My dogs will love it!

LOL on your DH's "nickname" for the VCR!

 

[redsoxgirl]

My daughter (12 months old) swallowed a barrette this morning at breakfast. Apparently, an almost 1 1/2 inch metal barrette with a flower on the end tastes pretty doggone good with blueberry pancakes and bananas.

I got quite a chuckle out of that too! The things kids put in their mouths, ears and noses!

I hopt everything works out ok! Go get a supply of latex gloves and get ready for some digging! :yuck:

 

[PampChefJoy]

I have BTDT on this with my DD - she said she swallowed a penny. Unfortunately, she was already potty trained at the time, so no diapers to check... I had to make her stop flushing automatically (which we had JUST managed to get her to do)... so that I could toilet dive... oh so NOT FUN!!!

We never did find it, so she either didn't swallow it but said she did, or it passed at a time when we missed checking it....

Good luck!

 

[katie0128]

Good idea on the diaper digging! I'm hoping the bright pink barrette with the pink and purple flower will just stand out, almost as if waving it's hand and saying - hi...I'm right here! I'll probably borrow your diaper digging station idea. My dogs will love it!

LOL on your DH's "nickname" for the VCR!

Make it easier on yourself... lots and lots and lots of fluids and prunes... anything to make your small "presents" easier to smush.

Just a few years ago, my mom - who, mind you, is a critical care RN in an ED and has removed strange objects from strange places from children and adults - once had a very small glass dolphin in her pockets with her medicine. She took her medicine while at work (in the ED of all places) and when she got home, went to put the dolphin back on her dresser, but her pocket contained one of her pills, but no dolphin. She had to "search" for the dolphin until it reappeared... fortunately for her, it was only a day or so later.

This whole thread reminds me of the line in Ice Age when Manny and Sid have an arguement about checking the baby's diaper for poop.

 

[PampChefJoy]

BTW - I know this is really gross, but I found it easier to put the solid waste into a double thickness ziploc bag and then press around through it to feel for the penny... rather than trying to manually dig with my fingers and gloves... the ziploc felt like more of a barrier...

 

[katie0128]

Ahhhh... the things we do for our kids...

 

[EdraJayne]

BTW - I know this is really gross, but I found it easier to put the solid waste into a double thickness ziploc bag and then press around through it to feel for the penny... rather than trying to manually dig with my fingers and gloves... the ziploc felt like more of a barrier...

Oh my goodness that is the most important part of the digging station!!! The grocery bags! or ziploc would work better if you wanted to see what you were squishing, again, i was quite vomit prone so i didn't want to "see". The spoon is for when you find "something".

Okay, I got to step away from this thread... i just ate lunch...:yuck:

 

[KellyTheChef]

Joy...I pray that everything passes through with no problems and that you find the barrette very easily!!

I am still shaking my head and laughing at some of these stories!! Ack!

 

[dianevill]

Yikes - I'm with Kelly, laughing, shaking my head, and feeling for all of you who have been "through it", quite literally.

Hope the barrette passes quickly and painlessly!

 

[raebates]

You and your little one will be in my prayers.I can't believe how blessed we were. Our DS didn't swallow things or put them into any of his bodily orifices. We've had a couple of incidents at church recently, though. One girl put a tic-tac up her nose. Another swallowed a bobby pin. Thankfully, both were fine.

 

[janetupnorth]

Emt Trick For You...EMT TRICK FOR YOU....

When you need to do the diaper digging...rub some Vicks vapor rub under your nose. This will help you to keep from smelling it and gagging.

We advise that all EMTs/First Responders with weak stomachs do that on all "Code Brown" calls.

Otherwise, praying that it all comes out o.k. in the end (pun intended...)

Did they say anything about feeding her any special diet or giving her anything to keep her bowels looser and relaxed during this process?

 

[ChefTess]

I hope everything comes out alright in the end.

 

[janetupnorth]

I hope everything comes out alright in the end.

Hey you stole my joke - see post directly above yours.

 

[lacychef]

Aww, poor thing! I don't envy your next duty...

 

[wadesgirl]

Wow! And I want children...

 

[letscook04]

I sure do not miss those days! LOL

 

[priscilla]

Please consider having her tested for lead poisoning. I assume your doctors have already talked to you about that?Robin

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Wow, Joy - sure hope things go smoothly for her....sounds like it could be painful if they don't. I wondered (as Janet did also) if you were given any sort of special diet to help her out?

DS, at almost 4 now, has never really had issues with putting things in his mouth - his body cavity of choice is his nose! We still have to watch him all the time. He is always trying to see how far up his nose he can shove little things....:yuck:

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Update -

We are now officially barrette free! :balloon: :balloon: Apparently, my DD's digestive tract is working quite well, b/c it was out this morning! Yeah!!! I only had to "dig" through 2 diapers!!! :thumbup:

Nope, the docs didn't mention any special diets. I just pushed fluids and gave high fiber foods to help things along, so to speak. Whole wheat spaghetti, oatmeal with bananas, veggies, apple sauce, apple chunks...you get the idea. Seemed to have worked!

My doc didn't mention testing for lead - what a good idea! I need to ask about that when I talk to them in a little bit. I hadn't thought of that. How scary to think that from swallowing a barrette that she could have lead issues...sigh...as if we as parents don't have enough to worry about...

Some of your stories are quite funny! I can't believe the things our kids have put in various orifices!! Definitely makes you think...and laugh...

Thanks for your prayers for DD and for things to pass smoothly - God answered and I don't even think she noticed as she passed it.

 

[letscook04]

WHOOHOO!!!!:sing:

 

[janetupnorth]

Yeah Joy!(...and keep the Vicks Vapor Rub in mind for yourself if this ever happens in the future!)I have a VERY strong stomach UNLESS I am already feeling ill, then watch out...we have many EMTs in our area that are reactionary vomiters...if patient vomits, have a second pan ready for them!

 

[sarahlegare]

YAY!! Isn't it amazing how exciting certain things can be to mothers!! Glad the barrette is gone......

 

[lacychef]

Yeah, at least you didn't have to worry long!

 

[KellyTheChef]

Thank you God...and congratulations Joy!! I am glad to hear that DD didn't feel a thing apparantly!!

I am so glad that God answered the prayers for her...

Give her a big hug from me, sure am glad it's over!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Whew..glad that's done with! Definately give her some extra love today from us!!! WOO HOO!!

 

[PamperedDor]

Oh thank goodness!!! Glad it all worked out!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh thank goodness!!! Glad it all worked out!!

...in the end...























Sorry, can't resist beating that joke to death...

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Janet - LOL!!!

You have no idea how many jokes we've had since this started...although my DH had more jokes than me considering I got to do the diaper diving! This situation was made just for jokes like this!

 

[janetupnorth]

Janet - LOL!!!

You have no idea how many jokes we've had since this started...although my DH had more jokes than me considering I got to do the diaper diving! This situation was made just for jokes like this!

Yeah, I barrette you're glad it's over...

 

[EdraJayne]

Hooray for the successful diaper dig!! You have officially reached Expert Diaper Digger Status when you have to dig through one or more diapers. Wear the title proudly~! I do.



P.S. I have made a mental note on the EMT trick. Thank you for posting it Janet!

 

[janetupnorth]

P.S. I have made a mental note on the EMT trick. Thank you for posting it Janet!

Not a problem, if it saves one mom from puking in these gross situations we HAVE to do, it is worth it. :yuck:

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Janet - I also made a mental note of it! Thanks!!

Diaper duty doesn't bother me unless I'm feeling really nauseous and it's a particularly stinky one, but vomiting - that's another thing. Emily's vomiting doesn't bother me now (she did it so much until 6 months and had her surgery and recently with milk until her allergy was diagnosed), but older kids and people?? That's a whole 'nother story. I used to teach pre-k for a not for profit organization and we didn't have a nurse or janitor during the day...so any vomit had to be cleaned by us. :yuck: :yuck: I could barely do it on some days! I actually had a parent in one time right after nap (and a kid threw up on his cot)...I couldn't even begin to clean it up w/o gagging. She told me she'd clean it up, b/c it takes a mommy to do it! If I ever go back to there, I'll remember that Vick's vapo rub is a necessity in the medicine cabinet!