We have an apricot tree. While picking the apricots-my 2 year old was eating them and accidentally swallowed 2 seeds. I was looking online because I was worried about him digesting them and found that apricot seeds can be poisonous. Should I take him to the ER or Dr?
Ok...so just to clarify...yes theses were pits..I called them seeds because I had been reading online and they were referred to as seeds in many articles
These were from apricots off a tree in our yard they are very small...as matter of fact some of them are notnmuch larger than a bouncy ball nonenlargernthan a golf ball-therefore then pits seem smaller as well. However I am still worried about him passing them. It has been more thann12 hours and he seems fine...but I will be calling his pediatrician tomorrow. Thanks for all the input...would still like to hear from someone who has experienced this.
****UPDATE****Ok so just wanted to let everyone know that everything worked out fine. My son did pass the pits within a few days without trouble.. Dr told me to make sure he is regular and not straining which he was regular and he ate lots of raisings, fiber and prune juice :O) THANKS FOR THE ADVICE
Is there a medical hotline you can call. If you read where it could be poisonous, I would probably want to be on the safe side and take him to the ER. Just continue to watch for any changes.
Call the 24/7 nurse line (or nurse advice line, or nurse help line... they have different names) through your local hospital. They'll be able to do a phone triage with you and give you all the information you need... including but not limited to:
- ER now, Doctor emergency appt tomorrow, Dr appt sometime soon, or treat at home
- Symptoms to watch for which would change from treat at home, or doctor later, to ER now.
call poison control and ask them. good luck! 1-800-222-1222
In these cases, your first course of action should be to call your own doctor's office. The ER is for when someone is having an actual emergency. If he's not choking or having trouble breathing, he'll be way down on their priority list if you show up. Your own doctor's answering service can get you in touch with a doctor much faster.
Are you talking about the giant pits on the inside that are huge compared to apple seeds? Yah, I'm suprised he was able to swallow those without choking. Yah, call the doc, nurse or ER on what to do. I can't see those passing very easily without causing blockage. And then having to poop those out? Ouch! I'd like to hear a follow up on what the docs say about this.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
If there isnt a medical hotline, try poison control, they may be able to help you
I would be concerned not just about poison but about how a small child will "pass" these. They aren't "seeds," they're pits, and much, much larger than a regular seed. He could have choked on them, but now that they are in his digestive system, I would want to ask a doctor ASAP if they might get stuck in his intestines etc. Basically he's got two items the size and hardness of two small rubber balls in his digestive tract. Does your pediatrician have a 24-hour line where you can talk in person to an advice nurse? If so, call it now. If not, I would get him to an ER or urgent care center now. He may be just fine, have no ill effects and pass the pits through his bowels, but it is worth checking right away with professionals, not with us.
Be sure to tell the doctors that these are apricot pits. Don't say seeds, which to someone who doesn't eat apricots makes them sound small and harmless. A smaller child would have choked on these.
The pits, seeds and kernels of some fruit contain cyanide, which can be lethal in large quantities. Two apricots would not contain enough cyanide to be leathl. The biggest concern here is what happens once those pits get into your son's intestine. They are typically somewhat pointed on the ends and I'm worried that they may cause tearing or even blockage. Call the pediatrician. Please keep us updated. Best wishes.
