Coins

Some strange change

"Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck"undefinedright? Not so much for babies with coins in their tummies. Why is swallowing coins so common? "They're readily available," Dr. Jana explains. To avoid mishaps, collect quarters or sort change on a high shelf out of children's curious grasp. 

Also, next time you hold a chunk of change, check the year. No joke. Pennies made after 1983 contain highly corrosive zinc, which can create a hole in the stomach wall and allow intestinal bacteria to enter the stomach. In a word: gross.

Jewelry

Accessory buffet

Beads from bracelets pose a threat, but Baby's pierced ears cause most jewelry jams. Fashion-forward parents rush to swap the starter pair (with sturdy, screw-in backs) for a new, shiny set. Wrong move, Dr. Jana warns. Leave in the originals or wait to pierce until she's older and her earrings will sparkleundefinednot be swallowed. 

Buttons

Cutesy clothing calamity

Kids' clothes are built so parents need to buy more (frequently!), which explains why buttons and frills pop off so easily. But while you grumble about wasting money on cheap labor, your kid may unravel a button and gulp it down like a jellybean. 

During the holidays, try to avoid baby clothes with little bells or beads, Dr. Jana advises. Cutie-pie clothing is hard to resist, but she begs parents to value safety over style.

Boogers

Snot happens

"There's no kind way to say it: Boogers are the biggest one," Dr. Jana says of the top non-food item kids swallow. Parents may feel embarrassed to admit it, but plenty of kids pick their nose and eat it, especially if blowing one's nose or using a tissue is an issue. Allergy and cold season only increases this behavior, Dr. Jana advises. 

If you need help in tackling this taboo topic, check out I Am a Booger… Treat Me with Respect, a funny children's book written by Julia Cook. As it says in the book, "Don't pick me, don't flick me…and whatever you do, don't eat me."

Pills

Accidental overdose culprits

Leaving a calcium supplement by your breakfast bowl or placing two Excedrin on the bathroom counter is commonplace for most couples. But most pitfalls occur from "anything that tends to be left sitting around within a baby's reach," Dr. Jana says. 

Beware taking your baby to Grandma and Grandpa's house: Elderly people take more pills, which makes your kid more likely to fish through the weekly pill planner or find a spare tablet that fell on the floor. Warn Nana to tidy up beforehand.

Batteries

Double AA trouble

When they're not powering your remote control, batteries can reach your baby's control. While any size battery is dangerous if ingested, the most common are button batteries, found in watches, cameras, and hearing aids. Because of the battery's tiny size, babies find them easy to swallow, and many adults don't realize that such a small battery can be harmful, says Dr. Jana. 

If this issue occurs, seek immediate medical help. Because they are toxic, batteries stuck in the esophagus or stomach can corrode the wall of the intestinal lining, letting intestinal bacteria enter the sterile stomach, Dr. Jana warns. (Ditto for batteries placed in kids' ears or noses.)

Hairballs

A hairy, scary mess

"Everyone studies this in pediatrics," Dr. Jana says. Kids twist and play with their hair, and some put it in their mouth, she observes. Sucking on ends of braids and ponytails is particularly popular with long-haired girls ages 10 and up, according to the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, although much younger kids may attempt to suck on strands, too. 

And chew on this: smelly, saliva-soaked hair isn't the worst of this habit. Some kids develop a hair bezoar, or a collection of hair in the stomach, which doctors must remove by surgery or scope.

Magnets

A dangerous attraction

Be careful of the toys you bring into your home: small magnets can become loose and accidentally be swallowed. 

Contact a doctor immediately if you suspect your child has swallowed a magnet. If a magnet breaks apart in the body and parts land with a piece of stomach or intestine between them, the parts can magnetize toward each other and create a hole in the stomach and intestinal walls, explains Dr. Jana.

Nails, Pins, & Tacks

Hardware havoc

Home improvement shows can make any homeowner feel like an interior designer, but beware of handling tiny tools around your baby. Nails, screws, and tacks are easily dropped and tend to disappear in thick carpeting or once they roll under the furniture. If swallowed, these sharp metal tools can puncture or get stuck in your child's intestinal lining. 

Seriousness varies depending on the size and sharpness of the object ingested. Err on the side of caution and call your doctor or seek prompt medical attention as soon as you suspect the swallowing. However, call 911 if your child is vomiting blood or showing severe abdominal pain, Dr. Jana says.

More Bizzarro Mouthfuls

What causes strange swallowing

Arts and crafts suppliesundefinedsuch as staples and antibacterial hand gelundefinedcan also be dangerous culprits. 

Besides curiosity and accidents, sometimes other factors come into play: ADHD, autism, and other special needs can cause kids to crave strange foods. Some children even suffer from pica, a condition where one constantly eats non-food items usually due to an iron deficiency. 

Parent Checklist

What to do for worrisome swallowing

1. Know the symptoms. Look for choking signs like coughing, sputtering, wheezing, and respiratory difficulties. Listen up if your child suddenly speaks in a raspy voice. These signs may point to a potential blockage in the airway. Be cautious and call 911. A doctor or ENT may need to remove the item with a scope. 

2. Determine the danger. Corrosive or toxic objects such as batteries, magnets, coins, or pills can cause serious problems in the stomach and intestinal lining. Call Poison Control or 911 immediately. 

3. Understand what's safe. Swallowing crayons, buttons, and Play-Doh may be non-threatening. If the item is not sharp, corrosive, or large enough to cause a blockage, it may pass through the body without any negative effects. Double-check with your doctor to be certain.

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