I think my 17-month-old swallowed rubber end off door stop

[WeeG123]

Hi all,

I was making the bed tonight (up too late this morning to do it!) and my 17-month-old was with me in our bedroom. He loves to wander and explore! I turned round and found he had the metal doorstop in his mouth that my sisters dog broke off the bottom of our wall at Christmas. We left the broken off doorstop on the floor beside where it was connected to the wall and forgot about it.

I whisked the metal doorstop off him immediately and noticed the plastic end is gone. I genuinely can’t remember if the dog had chewed the plastic doorstop end off completely and if we binned it or kept it there.

DS is fine in himself, currently watching Miss Rachel with a wafer and water. He seems completely fine but I feel guilty and terrible. Surely I would have heard him cough/choke if we swallowed the plastic end?

Advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.

In your position I’d first of all have a careful look for the piece of plastic. If it’s not there, I’d phone 111 and explain you’re unsure if your toddler has swallowed it. They’ll probably ask how big it is, so measure the end of the doorstop before you phone. They’ll then tell you that either he needs to be checked in hospital or that you should observe him closely over the next couple of days.

Any advice from someone on here wouldn’t put my mind at rest - I’d want professionals to advise me. This type of thing happens regularly with toddlers so they’ll be well used to guiding parents.

Good luck!

Do you mean the plastic cap off one of those spring doorstops? They’re quite small and more than likely it will pass through his body without issue.

I have been to A&E before when my child swallowed a similar sized object and they checked him over but just sent us home with a leaflet of advice how to monitor him.

if you phone 111 for advice they WILL tell you to go to A&E (I’ve learned this over the years - if it’s a child that’s always the outcome of the call).

Ps don’t feel guilty - it happens. I’ve had 3 kids and they’ve all swallowed something at some point. It was my first that got taken to a&e. By the third we just monitored at home 😆

How big is it?