My Daughter Swallow a ROCK!!

Updated on June 21, 2012
V.C. asks from Los Angeles, CA
30 answers

Hi moms, as always I come to your expertise in this difficult/akward situation I am going through.
My 2 and half daughter swallowed a small rock (size of a marble). I bought a beutiful candle arrangement in IKEA that came with some decorative rocks, I was putting it in the table and she took one rock, I told her Sofia please give it to mami.
She started running in circles, she put the rock in her mouth and then when I grab her and put my finger inside she swallowed it.
I call the peditrician and he said the worse fear is gone since it did not get stuck in her throat, that now I have to check her poop until it comes out.
If is more than a week and it has not come out I need to bring her in for an xray to see where the rock is.
Well this was sunday I have been digging on poop for 3 days and nothing so far.
I am worried has anybody experience this????
Any help it is appreciated!
Thanks and have a nice day

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So What Happened?

Hey Moms!!!
The rock is out! I finally found it on her diaper, and I show it to her, she burst out laughing. Even though I took the arrangement out I hope it does not happen again, digging poop is very disgusting...only a mom definately...Well she found it very funny.
Thanks to all....you help me sooooooo much to easy my mind, and to take it easy. Take care!

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V.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi! my son did the same thing w/a plum pit. the doc siad "this, too, shall pass" & it did. just give it time. V.

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S.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son swallowed a guitar pick. They had us go in for the x-ray that day but it was already low enough - I guess in his intestine - that it wasn't a danger. They told us to watch his behavior and if he seemed to be in any paid, to come back in. It passed without us knowing.

Hope that helps! Good Luck!!

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M.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have a friend a friend who's daughter swallowed a penny. She was told by her doctor to watch her poop to see if it comes through. It finally did. It took a couple of days. My nephew swallowed a nickle and it came through just fine. Good luck. MR

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M.Z.

answers from Reno on

I really don't think you need to dig through her poop to find it. When I was about 4 I swallowed a large marbles. I never told my parents until a few years ago. I'm 26 now, and never had a problem because it. I'm sure it passed safely on it's own, just as your daughter's will.

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M.F.

answers from San Diego on

Not to worry! There is no reason why a small rock would cause problems. Be patient and it will pass. Just don't leave small magnets or button batteries around!
M.

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A.F.

answers from San Diego on

Sounds like you've had lots of good advice, but I couldn't resist sharing my story... at three years old my son almost choked on a quarter, but ended up swallowing it. Panicked, I called his doctor who said "not to worry, a child could almost pass a doorknob - that the intestines are extremely stretchy, etc"!!! I couldn't believe it! Anyway, he told me to look for it in the poop - what a lovely experience that is! I looked for a week and never found it. He is now 5 years old and just fine. Best wishes!

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A.B.

answers from Santa Barbara on

My son swallowed a dimond earing. He was a bit younger than your daughter and we had to go through many diapers. The good news it finally came out, which I am sure was a bit uncomfortable for him. I would suggest waiting just a bit longer before getting an xray.
Good luck.

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J.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

It will come out, don't worry. Just be very thorough when you're checking. It has never happened to me, but it did happen to a friend of mine. Her daughter swallowed an earring! She finally did pass it (mom found it in her diaper). I am surprised the doctor didn't ask you to bring her in right away for an x-ray. Did the doctor ask you to check her breathing? I am told if there is wheezing and such, there is a chance it was asperated into her lung. Since it has been almost one week, there isn't any fear of that happening. I am sure she'll pass it any day now. Just give her lots of fiber. Raisins and fruits are a good start. Lay off cheese and breads. Good luck!

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H.R.

answers from San Diego on

Hello, my baby boy just turned 1 year yesterday, it is so amazing to be a someones mom. I have not had this happen to Ronald yet, although he has started to put stuff in his mouth like this. But when I was in second grade I decided to play hide and seek with the play money and I accidentally swallowed a penny. For almost 2 weeks my mom was worried and checked my poop everyday. I will never forget this from my childhood and she low and behold she found the penny in my poop and showed me that it came out of my body. Crazy story, I think I was frightened also that is was inside me. But I say give it some time, it took me about two week to process this foreign object. But as with everything if you are this concerned call your pediatrician. Hope this helps good luck.
H. Ron and Ronald

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Our son was 18 months at the time. My husband was watching him and they were gathering apricots off our tree, while I was at work. Our son popped one in his mouth, without my husband seeing him. When my husband turned around, he was choking. Upon doing back thrusts to get it to come out, he swallowed it. My husband was freaked....to put it mildly. He practically burst into tears every time he thought about it. I told him that either one of two things would occur, it would come out on it's own or it would cause intestinal blockage and require surgery, so there is no reason to worry about it. He continued to have bowel movements daily, so we knew it wasn't blocking the intestines. On day 8, it finally came out and with the jagged edges, I can't imagine it being all that comfortable! As long as she is having bowel movements, it most likely will come out in due time.

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A.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have a very active 2 1/2 y/o; I feel your pain! He also seems to shove EVERYTHING in his mouth still, as if he were a new toddler and not a pre-schooler! I notices however, that he glances at me when he puts something in there that doesn't belong so what I do now is semi-ignore him and hold out my hand. I, (even if I want to) do not chase him and tell him calmly to "give that to momma." When he gets bored and realizes that I'm not going to 'play' he comes over and spits out the rock, coin, fuzz, toy, old moldy prune (EWWW) or dirt clod (thank you son,) into my hand! This approach requires a great deal of patience, prayer, humor and a strong constitution. Not to mention hand soap! Good luck mommma.

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C.S.

answers from San Diego on

My oldest tried to eat everything. With all the coins I'd catch him just prior to swallowing I figured eventually he'd pay for his education. Just as your doctor, mine told me the same and they all did pass in 3-5 days. Lots of poop digging. In that he is now 47, he obviously survived it all, including rocks.

Don't try to chase her down if she has stuck something in her mouth. If she runs she can actually inhale the object and get it in her lungs. That is dangerous and can have horrible consequences. Lets just say I lost a cousin at 18 months over a marble. It wasn't pretty. He inhaled it while running from his older sister, who gave it to him and has never forgotten that 50 some years later.

Connie

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L.T.

answers from San Diego on

Thank goodness she didn't choke on it. Try no to stress out and give it time like the MD suggested. My husband swallowed a penny when he was a tot...he survived and now is a funny story for his mom to tell. My niece at age two swallowed a plastic "bean" from "Don't Spill the Beans" game, she too is a happy and healthy kindergartener. Also, a little girl in my son's class swallowed a non-toxic watch battery...she pooped it out and is fine. Good luck...keep searching! Hopefully everything will come out in the end (pun intended)!

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B.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi! The same happened to me, she was 2 and swallowed a pennie, I gave her a teaspoon of caster oil and it came out in the next couple of days. God bless.

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K.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Please take this type of situation seriously. My 18 month old swallowed 3 pennies, which turned out being stuck together and lodged in her esophagus. The existence of "a coin" was confirmed through two x-rays in the ER. We took her in when we realized she refused her milk and any food. It is absolutely better to be safe than sorry in the case of swallowing objects, especially if we are making assumptions of what we think a child swallowed. Even the x-ray did not confirm three pennies, so the specialist did not know this going into surgery. They had to try several tools to remove the three objects. Fortunately, my daughter is getting out this morning after an over-night stay, and I am told she is in good condition.

I would like to put emphasis on the fact that, had I based my decision to go to the ER on information found in posts such as these/ and online in general, I may have been persuaded into thinking she would poop it out and to not go to the ER. Our children our worth the trip.

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T.H.

answers from Las Vegas on

V.,
Don't stress. Kids swallow everything known to man, or shove it up a nostril, or in an ear. You are doing the right thing and you only have 4 more days of "brown protocal". Continue to follow the doctor's advice and it really is most likely she will expell the rock in the usual way and be unaffected by it. However she may actually feel it come out if it is large enough. That may be a bit uncomfortable for her. This happens all the time. It is NOT a reflection on your abilities as a GREAT mom. Relax, all will be fine.

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J.E.

answers from San Diego on

hope the decorated rocks are gone? if she likes raisins or some grapes give her a little more than usuall to help soften the stool & help move things along? & pray!

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C.N.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

Dear V.,

Keep looking, it will come out. My husband is 82 years old and can remember swallowing a penny when he was very young, and his parents made him go poop outside and check it until he found the penny. He still tells of the relief he felt when he saw that penny in his poop.

Good luck,

My gr grandaughter stuck a little plastic thing up her nose with me right there telling her no, and we had to take her to the emergency room and they got it out with some long tweezers . Yikes ! It is very weird to be right there and not be able to do anything.

C. N.

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J.M.

answers from Reno on

My daughter swallowed a dime when she was about your daughters age. I gave her a bottle of baby food prunes to help speed up the process. My pediatrician told me that in most cases people do not find the coin or in your case marble in the poop. I gave up looking for it in about 5 days. I never found it. She is now almost 6 and no problems, and no x-rays. Try not to worry if you don't find it, but follow your doctors advice.

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A.V.

answers from Los Angeles on

You shouldn't worry about it. It'll come out when it's ready. My 10 year old swallowed a ring when she was 5 and we waited and waited for her to poop it out but we never saw it. She's fine and has no intestinal problems. :O) Your little one will be ok. *Us mami's worry so much about our babies because we love them so much and we want to protect them with everything we have. I know I do!

Take care
A.V.

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J.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 2 yr old swallowed a bandaid, so I did the same poop-digging for a week. Never did find it. She's turning 13 next month, so I guess it was okay!

The dr. said a week, so don't panic - if it's not out in another 3 days, take her back in then. At least it was smooth, so it will probably go through just fine.

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G.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi V.! My son didn't swallow a rock (at least not yet) but I did swallow a nail when I was 5 years old. From what I remembered, my parents brought me to the hospital for an X-ray. They saw the nail inside of me. Then I think I was given lots of high fiber foods and asked to drink lots of water so as to ease and increase the frequency of poop. Each day they checked, my parents didn't find the nail in my poop. I had to go for an X-ray a week after and lo and behold, it's not in my tummy/intestines anymore. I don't know if it was digested or my parents just missed it in the poop. I sincerely hope your daughter will be alright.

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K.H.

answers from San Diego on

Fear not! I swallowed a marble when I was a kid and it came out after several days. My 6 year old just swallowed a metal ball several days ago and we were poop digging for about 3-4 days and finally found it. I'll bet it will come out very shortly- it may depend on how regular her bowel movements are! Good luck.

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C.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi there - my son swallowed a penny and it took 3-4 days for it to process - and yes - all the while checking his every bowl progress. If the rock was fairly small - you may not have found it. You are doing the right thing. Just be patient. And if in a week not progress - then ask to have an mri to make sure it is not blocked somewhere - but I bet it will be long gone - at least it was in our case. Good luck.

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L.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

My son swallowed a dime when he was about 3 yrs old. I was also told the same thing about the choking so we didn't have to worry about that. I also did not find it in his poop so we did an xray and it was no where to be found. It probably came out but we missed it. There were no bad effects from this. He is now 10 years old and very healthy. So don't worry. I'm sure she'll be fine.

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D.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

my daughter swallowed a penny when she was smaller and i wasnt even aware of it until i saw something shiny in her poop so im sure there is nothing to worry about eventually it will come out but if it worrys you alot then mabey you should get the xray just to ease your mind

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M.B.

answers from Reno on

Thankfully if my son ever swallowed a rock, I didn't know about it. He's 12 1/2 now.
I however, was an experimental child and always tried to swallow things :)
I swallowed a rubber band, a marble, a small rock...well that was 26 years ago and I'm ok. :) I would stay on poop duty though. The biggest fear is that it can cause an obstruction and get lodged in the bowels. But it can take several days for things to process through our digestive systems so don't start worrying too much now. Do as your doctor said and just keep checking.

Because you all know she swallowed it, the likelihood of anything awful happening is slim.

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K.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Take a deep breath and relax, children swallow any number of things as they grow up and most of the things that can not be digested are just passed through the body. As your pediatrician has advised, give it a week, if you want to help the process, add a little more fiber to her diet in the form of fresh fruits and veggies or whole grain bread that would be fine.
Good luck,
K.

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T.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Usually the acid in her stomach will help desolve the rock! So the rock should be coming out in pieces. If it doesn't come out within 5 days take her back to the doc.

T.

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E.V.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter swallowed one of the bandaids they put on her from an immunization shot. The only reason I saw it was because it was bright yellow. Otherwise I wouldn't even have known about it. What color was the rock? Would you necessarily have seen it if it was a neutral color (assuming your daughters poop is a "poopy" color)?

I wouldn't worry too much, as your ped said, the fear of choking is already passed. I was an EMT for years and we transported several kids who swallowed things. The only time it was of concern was when the coin got lodged in the esophagus. Otherwise, they were always told to just let it pass.

If you are still concerned, it sure wouldn't hurt to get an xray (other than your daughter getting scared maybe).

Good luck! Keep us posted!

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