3.5yo dd swallowed a penny

[Sleepyfergus]

We've always told her not to put small things in her mouth, esp coins but yesterday she accidentally swallowed a penny. I don't think she meant to, she had it in her mouth and next thing, it was swallowed. She got quite distressed about at the time but seems fine now.

Anyway, obv we have to wait for nature to take its course....but do I have to check every time she does a poo to know that it's made it's way out?? My mum seemed to think so, whereas I just thought it would happen by itsf and get flushed away with no dramas.

What's the 'penny in poo' etiquette?

This is what we did on the advice of my Mum who is a nurse practitioner: checked poo for first 24 hours. The coin did not pass so we went to get an x-ray. This is necessary because the coin can end up in their lungs or stuck somewhere in their digestive system. Once the doctor has seen a x-ray they will decide if it is best left to pass on its own or if they have to go and get it. In my son;s case it did not move from his stomach within 36 hours and so they did a procedure where they stuck a tube down his oesophagus and took the coin out that way. No surgery but it meant a general anaesthetic. Hopefully for your DD the coin won;t get stuck!