Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Non judgmental help please

29 replies

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 19:12

2 days ago I was making dinner while both DC roamed around. Eldest happened to open the battery drawer and leave it open so youngest (20 months) had access to it.

Since then I've been on an anxiety spiral wondering if he may have swallowed one. There were a couple of loose button batteries in there and I have no idea if there could have been more.

Initially i read you'd know fairly quickly (within 2 hours) if they had swallowed one so decided he was fine, but I've now spent 48 hours reading Google horror stories and am convinced there's a battery in his tummy slowly burning through his insides.

I was in the room when it happened so he wasn't unsupervised with batteries for more than a few seconds, he didn't show any signs of eating of swallowing anything. He'd picked up sellotape and was rolling it around his fingers. The button batteries I found were at the back under lots of other things, I was right next to him and didn't hear him rummaging through things.

I am very anxious and at the time the whole situation didn't make me anxious but now I am questioning everything thinking that maybe my timings are wrong and he rummaged through it for ages might have coughed etc.

What should I do? I was going to take him to A&E last night but DH talked me out of it, saying this is "what I do" (I often get an idea in my head, Google it to death and spend a few days barely able to function, until its replaced by a new anxiety) and it would be selfish to put DS through a night in a hospital waiting room for nothing.

I want him Xrayed to be on the safe side but I don't know if they would do anything if I turned up 3 days later saying I'm worried DC swallowed a battery despite no evidence or symptoms?

Not sure if I'm crazy, or a terrible mum or both.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Sunny1234567 · 23/04/2023 19:17

Just to be on the safe side I would go to A&E. Or you could call 111 and ask for their advice.

AnuSTart · 23/04/2023 19:40

It should be ok, but for the sake of an X-ray and your sanity it may make sense to contact the OOH doctor

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 19:52

Thank you i will call 111 once DC are settled. If 111 advises A&E, do you know if we just sit there once we arrive or do they "pre-make" an appointment?

I've also been reading about xrays safety for children and worrying about putting him through one unnecessarily.

I feel like only I can judge if there is a risk or not and I have no idea anymore 😥

OP posts:

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 19:54

I also think DH is going to be very mad at me for waking baby and taking him to hospital in the middle of the night. He's so fed up of my anxiety, but what if this time it is justified?

OP posts:

SavBlancTonight · 23/04/2023 19:57

Personally, this seems a little OTT to me. Unless he has form for swallowing things the moment your back is turned, there wasn't much time for him to do it and you've not noticed any symptoms and it seems fine.

There's an argument that doing it for your own anxiety is reasonable, but I'm inclined to say when does this stop? It's a separate issue that you should perhaps be seeking help for.

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 20:12

Yes that's the problem @SavBlancTonight If they find nothing, I'll probably Google the effects of xray radiation on children to death and worry I've caused him damage through my anxiety for no reason.

But I just can't bear anything to happen to him, I'm on such high alert watching his every move wondering if anything is off.

OP posts:

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 20:19

Maybe I won't take him out in the middle of the night but will get advice first thing in the morning and let a healthcare professional make the decision for me. Maybe they'll say that in 99% of cases there would be symptoms by now and then I can relax a bit, or they'll tell me an xray is no biggie and I should pop to hospital for one. Then I can draw a line under it (or try to).

OP posts:

Zola1 · 23/04/2023 20:25

So you didn't see him holding batteries, you aren't missing any, and you saw he had chosen sellotape to play with? I think you might be being overcautious

OurChristmasMiracle · 23/04/2023 20:25

Honestly it sounds unlikely he has swallowed anything, but if in doubt of a child swallowing something toxic or that could cause damage I would take them to get checked over. X-ray radiation is very small and is highly highly unlikely to cause damage.

I would also recommend that you seek help for your anxiety because it will affect your children and it’s not healthy for you

BTW you are NOT crazy OR a bad mum!!

Georgig · 23/04/2023 20:31

From your description there is zero reason to take them to A&E your anxiety will hinder them more x

RandomSunday · 23/04/2023 20:34

For your own peace of mind take your LO to A&E and explain what you have here.

And remove the batteries, and any other hazards, out of reach of an inquisitive 2 year old!

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 20:53

Zola1 · 23/04/2023 20:25

So you didn't see him holding batteries, you aren't missing any, and you saw he had chosen sellotape to play with? I think you might be being overcautious

Yes except I don't know if we are missing any as I have nothing to do with batteries, it's DH's drawer. Didn't even know we owned button batteries, let alone had some loose ones lying around.

It's all been angrily put in a zip lock bag and chucked into the locked garage now.

Thank you @OurChristmasMiracle for the kind words, I'm a mess right now!

OP posts:

MsMarch · 23/04/2023 20:56

I would also recommend that you seek help for your anxiety because it will affect your children and it’s not healthy for you

Nicely, this.

We've all known people with the over anxious parents and it's not great. It doesn't seem that he's likely to have swallowed anything based on your description and he has no symptoms. But you are in a complete state. That's not good for your DC.

DarkForces · 23/04/2023 20:58

We mislaid a button battery when dd was a toddler. The hospital were happy to X-ray her as it's a huge risk. No battery and ill effects from the x-ray a decade later. I found it a few years ago stuck in a gap in the floor!

Sugarfree23 · 23/04/2023 21:00

Op it was 2 days ago. You'd know by now if he'd swallowed one. He'd be crying in pain if something was burning a hole in his inside.

Seriously calm down, you've had a realisation they weren't in a safe place. They are safe now. Chill!

ChristineCricket · 23/04/2023 21:00

Children can open drawers before they develop common sense. Time to have a root about and a serious discussion with oh.

Bashshell · 23/04/2023 21:02

Honestly we have probably all been there but for your own piece of mind I would have requested to speak to a GP today so they could give you some advice. Since it’s out of hours I would call 111.

When you’re anxious it’s very easy to say oh it’s just my anxiety …I’m sure it probably is..::but where button batteries are concerned I wouldn’t take the chance.

Hopefully you’ll get to talk to a nurse who will say you’d probably have seen symptoms by now, but you won’t know if you don’t speak to someone and you’ll make yourself sick with worry if you don’t.

Zapzep · 23/04/2023 21:08

Based on your description and what your DH said I think you have anxiety/OCD and are being hyper vigilant. Sorry if it sounds flippant but I think you should have a drink and try to wind down.

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 21:09

@MsMarch I promise that although I am dying inside, DCs have had a lovely day. I've had years of practice of functioning as normal all while my mind is crumbling and I can barely breathe and feel sick to my stomach. But yes,I should do something about that.

Thanks @DarkForces did you just turn up in A&E and they did the xray?

@Bashshell yes very true, I will talk to someone.

OP posts:

Yummymummy2020 · 23/04/2023 21:21

I have one of those kids that swallows anything they find op but I will say, chances are the fact it was such a short time the sellotape captured their attention and they likely didn’t care what else was in there. I get the worry though, it sounds like it’s ok though! I doubt he ate it. I think when you get a fright like that it sticks with you and you are tormented with what ifs! If you do decide to go they won’t think bad of you though!!!

henrilechat · 23/04/2023 21:23

I'm pretty sure that you would know by now if he had swallowed a battery as he'd have been in pain from the acid. I can understand your worry though and I think getting some kind of therapy is the best idea.
I might be completely wide of the mark, but does some of your anxiety possibly come from having a partner who is so laid back you feel like you have to be extra careful as you're the only one concerned about safety? Because having coin fell batteries lying around in drawers that a toddler can access is pretty stupid. Your partner needs to take his share of the responsibility for this incident. No one could have swallowed a battery if they had been stored safely.

Omm · 23/04/2023 21:30

I would go to A&e just to check.
In fact just a couple of weeks my ds could have swallowed a tiny metal thing but I wasn’t sure.
They did an x-ray and nothing showed up.

Everyone was really nice and understanding, they said they see kids who swallow things they shouldn’t every day all day long, it’s pretty normal to be worried.

if there is any chance a battery is in his tummy, go, go now. Why wouldn’t you?

Original poster

InAnAnxietySpin · 23/04/2023 21:41

@henrilechat yes definitely, I overcompensate for him being so laid back. When I told him what happened I thought he'd be mad but he just said "as if such a small child could swallow something like this!", his argument being that DS rarely puts things in his mouth, and it would be way too big for him to swallow without me noticing anyway.

So I feel like I need to preempt and prevent every possible risky scenario for both of us, it's exhausting.

@omm that's reassuring that they won't think badly of me or think I'm OTT and it's just routine for them. What does the xray process look like? Will I need to pin DS down? Will it be traumatic?

OP posts:

DarkForces · 23/04/2023 23:30

We just turned up but that was nearly a decade ago. I'd phone 111 now that's an option. It wasn't traumatic at all and took seconds. They're used to dealing with little ones

nocoolnamesleft · 23/04/2023 23:33

Take him to A&E. They've probably got a metal detector, so only likely to need an xray if that pings.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread