Swallowed objects

If your child has any of the following: If your child has swallowed a battery If your child has swallowed a magnet or more than one magnet If your child has swallowed something large or sharp If your child has swallowed the object to harm themselves If your child is drooling more than normal If your child develops noisy breathing, difficulty breathing or a new cough If your child is choking or coughing when eating or drinking If your child is refusing food or eating less than usual If your child starts gagging, vomiting or retching If your child develops severe pain If your child has blood in their stool If your child becomes confused or is difficult to wake

You need help now. Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department or phone 999

If your child has any of the following: If your child develops mild pain If your child has a fever If your child has not passed stool (poo) for >1 day when you would normally have expected them to do so	You need to speak to a doctor or nurse today. Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111 If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 111 staff, then consider taking them to your nearest Emergency Department

If none of the above features are present.	Self care You can keep looking after your child at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111

Content adapted with permission from thewhat0-18.nhs.ukresource produced by the Healthier Together initiative

• If it is non urgent, speak to your local pharmacist or health visitor.
• If your child has any of the above red or amber features, urgently see your GP. For an urgent out-of-hours GP appointment, call NHS 111.
• You should only call 999 or go your nearest emergency department in critical or life threatening situations.

Self Care
For wear and tear, minor trips and everything in between. Self-care You can treat your child's very minor illnesses and injuries at home. Some illnesses can be treated in your own home with support and advice from the services listed when needed. Use the medicines recommended by your pharmacist or doctor. Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.	Sound advice Children can recover from illness quickly but also can become more poorly quickly; it is important to seek further advice if a child's condition gets worse. More information on common childhood injuries Information on preventing accidents and injuries
Local Pharmacist
Pharmacists are experts in many aspects of healthcare. They are the first port of call for minor ailments and can provide advice and medication (if needed) for a wide range of long term conditions and common ailments including coughs and colds. Pharmacy First is a free service. You do not need an appointment and many pharmacies have a private consultation area. Your pharmacist will let you know if you need further medical attention.	Sound advice Visit a pharmacy if your child is ill, but does not need to see a GP. Remember that if your child's condition gets worse, you should get further medical advice immediately. Help your child to understand - watch this video with them about going to the pharmacy.
GP (General Practitioner)
GPs assess, treat and manage a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical procedures. Your GP will arrange a referral to a hospital specialist should you need it.	Sound advice You have a choice of service: Doctors/GPs can treat many illnesses that do not warrant a visit to the Emergency Department. For minor injuries such as cuts that need stitches, broken bones, sprains and minor burns in children aged 5 or over, go to one of our Minor Injury Units (MIU).
NHS 24
If your child does not have a life or limb threatening injury, consider calling NHS 24 on 111. You may be allocated a virtual appointment on the same day with a doctor or nurse practitioner at our Flow Navigation Hub. This may avoid the need to travel to hospital. If after talking to you and your child, they feel you do need to be seen at an Emergency Department or Minor Injury Unit they will direct you to your nearest one.	Sound advice Use NHS 24 if you are unsure what to do next, have any questions about a condition or treatment or require information about local health services.
Emergency Department
Emergency departments provide vital care for life-threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties, or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. If you’re not sure it’s an emergency, call NHS 111 for advice.	Sound advice Many visits to the Emergency Department and calls to 999 could be resolved by any other NHS services. If your child's condition is not critical, choose another service to get them the best possible treatment. Help your child to understand – watch this video with them about going to the Emergency Department or riding in an ambulance

Content adapted with permission from the what0-18.nhs.uk resource produced by the Healthier Together initiative

Button batteries are small round, silver batteries found in lots of electrical toys and devices.

As well as being a choking hazard, button batteries can cause internal burns, internal bleeding, and sometimes death.

They can also cause burns if they're lodged in a child's nose or ear.

Preventing Accidents

Read about button batteries on the Child Accident Prevention Trust website, why you should be aware of the risks and how to keep your children safe.

Advice taken from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/first-aid-and-safety/first-aid/what-to-do-if-your-child-has-an-accident/

Magnetic ball toys are about 10 times stronger than traditional magnets. If a child swallows more than one of the magnetic balls, they can stick to each other inside the body and cause damage to the bowel and other structures that get caught in between. They can be challenging to remove, often requiring surgery to do so.

Where are they found?
Sources of magnets swallowed by children include:

• magnetic beads from jewellery-making kits
• magnetic balls from building kits
• magnets from building block toys and magnetic dartboards
• fridge magnets
• magnetic fake tongue piercings

What to do if you think your child has swallowed magnets

It may not be obvious that your child has swallowed small magnets. While older children can tell you what they’ve done, young children may not be able to.

Signs to look out for include stomach pain, nausea or vomiting. They may not be able to keep down fluids. You may suspect a stomach bug or appendicitis.

Act quickly if you’re worried - do not wait for symptoms to appear

If you think your child may have swallowed magnets, take them straight to the Emergency Department. 

Preventing accidents

Read the Child Accident Prevention Trust's page on keeping your child safe from magnets for advice and tips on preventing accidents.

Advice taken from: https://www.capt.org.uk/keep-your-child-safe-from-magnets

"When should I get help?" content adapted with permission from thewhat0-18.nhs.ukresource produced by the Healthier Together initiative