A mother named Ma (China) once shared her own experience on social media about timely first aid for her son when the child accidentally swallowed a moisture-absorbing package.
This mother said she had a 3-year-old son. That day there were visitors at home so the family bought some snacks for the children. Then because she was engrossed in chatting with the guests, she didn’t pay attention to her son. When she saw her son crying loudly, she hurried back. The child’s face was red at this time, and she asked the reason but the child couldn’t say anything.
A little girl who is the child of a guest told that Ma’s child saw a moisture-absorbing package in the candy bag, so he curiously opened and poured it into his mouth, but maybe the taste was not as good as candy, so the boy cried. The two children couldn’t read so they didn’t know the characters written on it were moisture-absorbing substances, not edible, so they put it in their mouths carelessly.
Hearing that, Ma was panicked but still managed to stay calm and immediately grabbed a glass of filtered water from the table and made her son drink it all at once. Others prepared to take their car to take the mother and son to the hospital.
The doctor after examination said that the boy was in good health. Although the boy accidentally swallowed the moisture-absorbing bag, due to his mother quickly giving him a lot of water within 60 seconds, the injuries on his body were reduced thanks to the moisture-absorbing layer.
In addition, the boy swallowed a powdered moisture-absorbing substance, so it did little harm to his body because the main component of this moisture-absorbing substance is calcium chloride, which is not toxic and can be diluted in the body as long as the mother gives the child plenty of water afterwards. The doctor also added that there are many other extremely dangerous moisture-absorbing substances, so parents need to be very vigilant.
It is best for parents to educate their children early on to avoid dangerous objects and not affect their health. For example, the following objects:
Pills
According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), even teachers cannot distinguish between medicine and candy. So many families do not store medicines properly, which can be very dangerous. Children who cannot read will easily mistake medicine for candy, especially round-shaped, bright-colored ones without special identification signs.
Balloons
These are favorite toys of children, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Committee warns that balloons can also be dangerous to the lives of young children. Accidents occur when a child tries to suck and blow up deflated balloons or chew on small pieces of the balloon. According to a study by the NCBI, balloons are the leading toy on the list of common objects that cause deaths in young children.
Coins
Most young children are curious and mischievous, so they can put anything in their mouths. A new study by the AAP shows that children under 6 years old tend to swallow many small objects, and coins account for the highest proportion at 61.7%.
Compressed cleaning agents
There are many types of brightly colored cleaning agents packaged in small plastic shells, resembling candy or fruit juice. When children accidentally swallow these types of cleaning agents, it can cause serious poisoning. In addition, these substances can also cause eye pain upon contact.
A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shows that 98.8% of accidents involving young children occur at home, and children aged 1-2 years have the highest accident rate.
Tips for Parents on Dealing with Common Ailments in Young Children
Winter can be a particularly hard time for little ones when it comes to keeping healthy. With the decrease in temperature and shorter days, minor illnesses that often affect children can start to present themselves. To ensure your child remains in good health and to learn how to tackle minor ailments efficiently, here are 10 tips for parents to take into consideration.