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How long can it take to pass a foreign object?

4 replies

WhatHo · 31/07/2013 15:02

On Friday DD2 ate a button battery, and when we found out we went straight to A&E. She was X-rayed and the battery had made it to her guts which was a good thing - all battery-related deaths seem to be when they get lodged in the throat.

However.... she still hasn't passed it and I'm getting really freaked out. The doc says we just have to wait and it's a bad idea to have another x-ray because of the radiation (Understandably).

Can anyone reassure me that it can take a while for things to pass through? I hate the idea of this thing filed with poisonous heavy metals sitting inside her, rusting away.

She seems ok in herself, a bit clingy. We have been giving her lots of fruit and essence of fig to speed things up so she is doing regular poos. Battery-less poos. Gah.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
ProudNeathGirl · 31/07/2013 15:04

It will vary depending the speed of someone's digestion. I'd be back to the doctor after 7 days if it was my DD.

Are you SURE she hasn't passed it? Are you disecting all the poo to check?

WhatHo · 31/07/2013 15:17

We've been very thorough - scraping through the nappies with a spoon (sorry TMI) - but I can't say for 100% sure we haven't missed it, it was a tiny battery. I'm pretty confident however.

I'm seeing her meals about 9 hours after she has them so her system is working fine.

Would a metal detector work?!

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ProudNeathGirl · 31/07/2013 15:21

Metal detector wouldn't do any harm - worth a try!!! :) I'd test it on another battery first though, to be sure it's the right kind of metal, or whatever.

I suppose it might take a bit longer to pass through than food - but I'd certainly go back after a week.

WhatHo · 31/07/2013 15:23

Thanks Neath.

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