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Swallowed Objects — First Aid
What to do
- Stay calm and find out what was swallowed, when, and whether the person has symptoms. If they are choking or cannot breathe, treat it as choking (see the choking guides) and call 911.
- Go to emergency care immediately — do not wait — if the object was a button battery, one or more magnets, something sharp, or a large object; or if the person is drooling, cannot swallow, has chest or neck pain, is vomiting, or has any breathing difficulty.
- Button batteries lodged in the food pipe burn tissue within hours, and two magnets can trap and perforate the bowel — these are emergencies even when the person feels completely well.
- For a smooth, small, harmless object (such as a small coin) in a person with no symptoms, contact a clinician or poison/health advice line the same day — most such objects pass naturally over days, and advice will cover what to watch for and whether an X-ray is needed.
- Do not make the person vomit, and do not give laxatives unless a clinician advises them.
- Watch stools if advised at home, and return urgently for vomiting, abdominal pain, blood in stool, fever or refusal to eat.
What NOT to do
- Do not induce vomiting — a returning object can lodge in the airway.
- Do not assume 'it will pass' for batteries, magnets or sharp objects.
- Do not give food or drink to someone with swallowing difficulty or drooling.
- Do not delay assessment because the child seems cheerful — battery damage is silent at first.
When to get medical care
Emergency care at once for swallowed button batteries, magnets, sharp or long objects, or any swallowing difficulty, drooling, pain, vomiting or breathing problem. Same-day advice for any other swallowed object, especially in children under 5.
Related procedures & tests
Related symptoms
Frequently asked questions
Why are button batteries so dangerous?
A battery stuck in the food pipe generates an electrical current in moist tissue that causes a chemical burn, which can perforate the gullet within hours and damage major blood vessels. This can happen silently, which is why suspected battery ingestion always needs an immediate X-ray.
How long does a swallowed coin take to pass?
Coins that reach the stomach usually pass in the stool within a few days to about a week. If it has not appeared after about a week, or symptoms develop (pain, vomiting, blood, fever), seek review — an X-ray can locate it.
In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.
