Did Your Kid Swallow a Lego? When to Worry

Has your little one swallowed a Lego figurine head? Or even worse, the entire Lego? Kids ranging from 6 months to 3 years have a fixation for putting everything in the mouth. In the process, an accident could happen, including the swallowing of foreign objects. Playthings such as Lego are fun for kids, but they are also tiny, and kids are fond of stuffing them in their mouths.

Meanwhile, every year thousands of foreign object ingestion accidents are recorded, including small Lego pieces. The good news is that most of them are non-fatal, and the doctor will always alleviate your fears. In most cases, a pediatrician will suggest not to panic and calmly wait for your child to poop out the object.

How long will it take for my kid to poop out the Lego?

According to an experiment by a team of six pediatricians from the UK, the average time it could take for your child to poop out a typical Lego is 1.71 days. The testing states that none of the placebo group did experience any complications. In this case, if your child swallows the object, you should patiently wait, go through their poop until you find the Lego. 1-2 days should do.

The most comforting thing about Legos is that they are smooth, with no pricks and sharpness to them. This means that they pass seamlessly through the gastrointestinal tract without causing harm.

Does swallowing a Lego mean a trip to the emergency room?

There are several actions you should take once you discover your kid has chowed down a piece of Lego. The first step is to stay calm. It prevents you from making irrational decisions that could harm your child. Secondly, you need to consult your child’s pediatrician. Depending on how your child is behaving at this juncture, the doctor may suggest that you wait and keep watching. They could also ask that you perform the swallow test. This type of test involves providing the patient with a drink of water. 

Once you report no complication, the doctor can then ask to provide a piece of bread and observe how it goes down, too. If you notice any difficulties in swallowing, you need to take your child into the ER quickly. 

Typical signs of trouble:

There can be a cause for concern if your kid starts to experience pain, breathing difficulties, wheezing, and any other unusual behavior. Are they crying endlessly, coughing, or refusing to eat? All these and more are signs that something is amiss, and you need immediate help. Besides notifying your pediatrician, you may need to move fast and call emergency response.

Sometimes the object can stick in the upper section of the gastrointestinal tract. It requires the doctor to insert a tube down in the throat and quickly retrieve the Lego piece. where such objects find their way into the colon, a colonoscopy should be the treatment of choice

How will a doctor diagnose and treat Lego ingestion?

There are several ways to diagnose your child. For instance, the specialist takes a full medical history and finds out the type of Lego piece your kid swallowed. The doctor would also want to know when this happened, and if the patient is exhibiting any symptoms. Some of the prevalent tests could include the neck and chest scans to locate the object’s exact place. Abdomen scanning is also necessary as the Lego could have moved to the stomach area.

Now and then, the regular x-ray may not immediately locate the object. In this case, an enhanced X-ray consisting of Barium is the best method to map out the hidden piece. Is the Lego stuck in the esophagus? In most circumstances, the physician applies local anesthesia to retrieve. A swallow test can then determine if they are out of danger. Is there a need for a follow-up? More often, the physician recommends a follow-up session to ascertain that there are no further complications with your kid.

Basic Lego Accident Preventive Methods

Legos are necessary and fun stimulation toys for your kid. You cannot just shove them away for fear of accidents. The best way to avoid swallowing accidents includes close supervision during playtime. Again, always keep the toys out of reach when your child has no supervision.

Will your kid have nightmares after swallowing the lego?

If so, this can cause nightmares and make sleeping hard. We made a guide about how to help your kid sleep after swallowing a Lego – click that to learn more information. This can be a very scary thing for your kid, so definitely help your child sleep before trauma sets in.

Will your kid start dreaming about Legos?

It’s possible. Lucky for you, there are ways to tell if your kid is dreaming about Legos. This experience can have a profound impact on your baby and his sleep. Your kid’s sleep will tell you so much about how this experience is impacting him/her. This can be very traumatizing, but this will help you sort through sleep difficulties that may arise as a result.