Providers should be able to identify the signs and symptoms of foreign body and toxic material ingestion in children, select the proper diagnostic tests needed to confirm the diagnosis, and describe adequate treatment modalities for the described ingestions.
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Foreign body and toxic substance ingestions are a common reason for families to seek emergency care. Often, the pediatric patient is unable to describe the nature of the ingestion and/or the timing of the event. This can pose significant barriers to both caregivers and the medical team. Coins, button batteries, magnets, pointed and/or large objects, food, absorptive substances, alcohol, acidic and alkaline substances, detergent pods, and hydrocarbons are all frequently reported ingestions. Each ingested object or substance requires an individualized approach to management.
The most common site for foreign bodies to become entrapped is in the proximal esophagus at the site of the...
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