Everyone knows that any mother of a small child who has already begun to walk has reasons for worry a hundred times a day. A restless child needs an eye and an eye. Mom knows that if there is suspicious silence in the room where the baby is for more than two minutes, it means that he has already found something he likes and is mischievous with all his might. So, as soon as parents are distracted for a second, the child already tastes his father’s running sneakers, decorates the new expensive wallpaper in the living room with watercolor drawings, and turns his mother’s scraps into pieces flying around the house. notebook or puts things in order in the kitchen, cheerfully pouring a dozen cans of cereal onto the floor.

However, if such fun does not harm your health, it’s not so bad. The mother will shake her finger at the curious baby, taking away the toy, and then calm down. It is much worse if a child puts a small part from a Kinder surprise in his nose or ear. Or, for example, swallowed gum. This is already a reason for panic - after all, parents immediately imagine the worst and begin to run around the apartment hecticly, not knowing what to do.

A child swallowed chewing gum: what to do?

Of course, at this moment, anxious thoughts are racing through mom and dad’s head. But, strange as it may sound, it is precisely in such a situation that it is necessary to remain calm and sober of mind, to act quickly and confidently. So what happens if you swallow gum? This will be discussed below.

In principle, the case is typical. The baby has already learned to open bags, turn pockets inside out, pull out drawers, grab anything that is out of place, and immediately put it in his mouth. He could well have gotten to the chewing gum, even if it was securely hidden in the wardrobe. Moreover, for some reason fragrant pillows always attract children almost magically. Most likely, he had already repeatedly asked to give him chewing gum, and each time his mother responded with a firm refusal. And then such a miracle - the coveted, delicious-smelling gum lies unattended, no one needs! How can you avoid chewing them? In general, one way or another, the job is done - the child swallowed the gum.

Solution

It’s too late to reproach yourself for your indiscretion - you need to take action. The first step is to check whether the baby has eaten the entire pack. If not, you can breathe out calmly, nothing bad will happen. What happens if you swallow one or two pieces of gum? The grandmother, oohing and groaning, will probably immediately begin to lament that now the unfortunate child will certainly have his appendix cut out. Or, clutching his heart, he will tell a story about how such a chemical nasty thing as chewing gum will remain in the body for seven years, harming the child’s health. But don’t rush to believe it - usually the gum just comes out naturally.

The most important thing is that the baby did not choke, and the rest is nonsense. The chewing gum will not be digested in the stomach - therefore, it will enter the intestines and from there will leave the child’s body. So what should you do if you swallow gum? So, nothing? If the baby is cheerful, cheerful and ready for new pranks, then yes, everything is fine, it didn’t harm him in any way.

However, it would be useful to watch the child. And if any strange symptoms occur, such as lethargy, redness, rash, nausea, difficulty breathing or swelling, you should immediately call a doctor. You never know what kind of chemicals were used in the manufacture of these chewing gums - maybe they caused an allergy in the child or his body simply does not perceive any of the components that make up the gum. This also happens. And here, of course, you will need the help of a qualified specialist - in no case should you self-medicate!

What will happen next to the child? How will what happened affect his life?

In order to finally reassure mothers, let's talk about what will happen if you swallow gum, from the point of view of physiological processes. What exactly is chewing gum? This is a kind of viscous substance filled with sweeteners, flavors, dyes and flavor enhancers. It consists of resins, fats, wax and emulsion. No wonder the stomach can't digest it. But this does not mean that she will remain there for years. Our digestive system is a cunning and delicate thing; it will certainly find a way to get rid of an unwanted item.

If you think about it, it happens that a person can accidentally swallow not only chewing gum, but also a cherry pit, a seed shell, a piece of nut peel, and similar inedible things. However, no one has ever had a cherry tree sprouted in their stomach or a sunflower bloom. Yes, chewing gum is sticky, and ignorant people may well assume that it will stick to the walls of the stomach and remain there for a long time. But while working, this organ constantly contracts and relaxes, and with the help of these actions it will still force the ill-fated gum to move into the intestines. And from there, without being digested, it will come out naturally in a maximum of a couple of days.

Results

So let's summarize. What to do if you swallowed gum? Nothing anymore. Maybe next time it’s better to hide the pack of pillows from an inquisitive baby. And the ideal option is for him not to know what it is at all. At his age this is absolutely useless.

What happens if you swallow gum? If the child does not have allergies or individual intolerance to the components included in it, then nothing terrible will happen. It will be much worse if, God forbid, this tenacious substance gets into your hair and gets tangled there. Especially if you have a girl with long thick curls.

Then it’s definitely a waste of time, you’ll have to cut out a whole clump. However, if your baby has eaten too much gum, it is still better to consult a doctor - too much gum, once in the stomach, can lead to constipation or even blockage of the digestive system.

A little conclusion

That's really all that can be said. As you can see, there is no particular reason to panic - as they say, it doesn’t happen to anyone! All that remains is to wish good health to your child, and to his mother - patience, attentiveness, inexhaustible energy and as few stressful situations as possible.

It would seem that something terrible will happen from swallowing chewing gum? We all accidentally or deliberately swallowed it in childhood. However, not everything is so simple and unambiguous. If a child swallows gum, the parent subconsciously worries and fears the consequences. Is this situation so harmless or, on the contrary, terrible?

Swallowed chewing gum can cause serious health problems for the child.

As children, adults scared us that if we swallowed gum, it would not leave the body and would stick to the walls of the stomach. Or it will be even worse - it will descend into the intestines and stick it together. Then you cannot do without surgical intervention. But this is a misconception.

What is included in modern chewing gum:

• sweeteners;
• flavorings;
• wax;
• gum;
• taste stabilizers;
• dyes;
• emulsifiers.

One swallowed chewing gum will be digested in the stomach without harm to health.

In the bouquet of chemical components there is nothing useful for the child’s body, but there is nothing particularly toxic either. If a child swallows chewing gum, it will be easily digested in the stomach under the influence of digestive enzymes and juices. It will take 6 to 10 hours to process chewing gum. In extreme cases, it will come out naturally after a day. The rubber band cannot glue or damage anything along the way.

The child swallowed several chewing gums

If you swallow one piece of chewing gum, there will be no health consequences. But it happens that the baby eats the whole package and then complains of feeling unwell. Possible consequences of swallowing gum include:

• food poisoning;
• food allergies;
• diarrhea/constipation.

If a child swallows a large amount of gum, parents need to sound the alarm and seek help from a doctor.

A few chewing gums swallowed can cause harm to a child's body.

Food poisoning

For chewing gum to cause poisoning, it must be swallowed in large quantities. The components of modern chewing gums very rarely cause severe intoxication of the body. However, parents cannot know for sure what is included in the gum, how high quality it is, and what will happen to the baby. A child's body can react to a foreign substance in different ways.

If a child is suspected of being poisoned, give him 250–500 ml of water and induce a gag reflex.

This way the stomach is freed from toxins. If vomiting cannot be caused, and the baby’s condition is alarming, you should immediately go to the hospital.

Allergic reaction

The components of chewing gum very often provoke allergies in children. Children prone to allergic reactions are at risk. You need to find out how much the child swallowed of this product. If a large amount of chewing gum enters the body, it can pose a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the baby.

If a child has an allergy (hives, itching, swelling), he immediately needs an antihistamine. If the baby feels fine after this, there is no need to worry.

If the baby starts coughing, choking, or turns pale, you can’t hesitate, you need to urgently call an ambulance.

If an allergic reaction occurs, the child should be given an antihistamine and consult a doctor.

Diarrhea or constipation

After swallowing a large amount of chewing gum, such consequences should be expected. Large and dense pieces of gum disrupt the functioning of the intestines, and this causes long-term constipation. IN different countries Cases have been recorded where children had to undergo surgery due to intestinal obstruction.

Diarrhea is also a common symptom of gum poisoning. Some of its components act on the intestines as a laxative, so they can cause diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain.

If a child has diarrhea after chewing gum, do not give him fixatives. The gum should leave the body faster. When the baby’s condition does not improve, you need to see a doctor.

Constipation or diarrhea caused by swallowing gum requires immediate medical attention.

Parents' actions

What to do if a child swallows gum? You need to calm down and not give in to panic. Find out how many lozenges the baby ate - one, two or more. A pair of elastic bands is not dangerous, the baby will not feel any discomfort. They will be excreted in feces and will not cause harm to the body.

Have you eaten a whole pack or more? Then the child’s condition and behavior need to be monitored. If there are no symptoms within 24 hours, the gum has been digested. In case of severe abdominal pain, abnormal bowel movements, rashes, or difficulty breathing, you cannot do without an examination by a specialist.

Summary

Even ordinary chewing gum can cause disastrous consequences. In addition to swallowing the product, your baby may accidentally inhale it. Airways, which will lead to suffocation. Children should not be left alone with dangerous objects and should not be given chewing gum before the age of 6 years.

Even the most attentive and caring parents can neglect their child. Babies love to put everything in their mouth, especially if it looks attractive and smells delicious. Chewing gum often gets into the mouth for such reasons. And if an adult has a clear understanding of how to use this product, a child may not yet fully understand or even know these rules. And then the parents are faced with trouble - the chewing gum is swallowed. What to do in such a situation?

Possible consequences

If such a situation arises, then there is no need to panic - most likely, no physiological abnormalities will occur on this basis, and the chewing gum itself will successfully leave the body with other food. It may come out completely or partially digested, or even in its original state - it all depends on the composition of the particular chewing gum. The environment in the stomach, or rather the combination of digestive enzymes and of hydrochloric acid, is so strong that it can handle most types of chewing gum without much difficulty in a few hours, and this applies to all age groups. It certainly won't get stuck halfway.

Doctor's Note: There is a common belief that swallowed gum will remain in the body forever unless it is surgically removed. It is also believed that it can stick to the wall of the stomach or even glue the intestinal lumen together. Do not panic, as these stories are horror stories and have nothing to do with reality. Yes, such a product contains many chemical components and there is nothing useful in its presence in the digestive system, but it is also so terrible.

And although in most cases such an incident ends happily, in some situations some negative reactions from the body are possible:

• allergic reaction;
• bowel disorder (diarrhea or constipation);
• food poisoning.

An allergy can arise as a reaction to the composition of the product - a child may be intolerant to some of its components. This is also often how the body reacts to swallowing gum in large quantities. If there is intolerance, then the symptoms of an allergic reaction will not take long to appear (they are often skin manifestations).

Experts say that every chewing gum contains some kind of sweetener, and one of them is side effects its use has a laxative effect. When it enters the body in large quantities, it provokes stool upset. Also, large amounts of swallowed chewing gum can cause constipation.

Food poisoning is a consequence of ingesting a product containing harmful toxic or poisonous components. Unfortunately, chewing gum that is not made of good quality may well contain dangerous components.

The reaction can be very different, but often a negative effect is achieved when gum is swallowed in large quantities. In the vast majority of cases, nothing dangerous to the child’s condition will happen.

Parents' actions

Having learned about the incident, parents should begin to carefully monitor the child’s condition and well-being. If everything goes well, then after 6 hours the body will get rid of the accidentally swallowed product and there will be no need to go to the hospital. But if signs of a negative reaction are observed, then you should not delay going to the hospital.

If a specialist determines that an allergic response has begun, it will be necessary to take antihistamines until the allergen is completely eliminated from the body. Food poisoning will require absorbent drugs and medications to restore the microflora of the stomach and intestines. In case of diarrhea or constipation, separate measures are taken to eliminate the symptoms.

An option not associated with the digestive system - a child may choke on chewing gum, which mistakenly entered the respiratory tract instead of the esophagus. The usual reaction to such a situation is a strong cough, due to which the foreign object comes out. If the cough does not subside and the gum does not come out, then you need to urgently call an ambulance. You should not try to get the product out on your own, even if it is visible - such actions can push the lump even further and thereby worsen the situation.

Despite the fact that swallowing chewing gum almost never has negative consequences, the chance of such an outcome is still probable, so you need to be especially careful when treating a child with a similar problem. Elimination of a negative reaction is determined by the nature of the difficulties that ingestion led to.

Chewing gum is a sweet that children adore. The child likes it because of its pleasant smell, taste, and unusual viscous consistency. Often, chewing gum is not only a treat, but also a toy, which causes concern for parents. The baby may choke on the gum, choke, or accidentally swallow it. It is worth figuring out what needs to be done in such situations and whether it is dangerous for the child’s body.

What are the dangers of swallowing chewing gum?

Chewing gum contains components that are partially digested in the stomach. And what is not broken down is sent through the digestive tract and comes out naturally. There is no need to worry about a child who accidentally swallowed sweets, since the incident will not affect his well-being or health. The body will need more time to remove the chewing mass, but this will happen without harm to the internal organs.

It is rational to panic in two cases:

1. If your baby has swallowed a large amount of chewing gum. For example, more than one pack.
2. If he has diseases of the digestive tract or individual intolerance to components.

You should worry if the person who swallowed the gum suffers from diverticulitis, which causes a narrowing of the intestines, or Crohn's disease. In this case, chewing gum will clog the already narrow areas, which can lead to discomfort, constipation, and cramps.

So, what happens if you swallow a lot of chewing gum? It is worth noting that these symptoms appear quite rarely. And only in cases where the baby has eaten several chewing plates. A child who swallows a very large amount of chewing gum will experience possible consequences:

Food poisoning caused by swallowing chewing gum is only possible if the product is of poor quality. Manufacturers may use harmful substitutes, unknown food additives and other ingredients of little known origin. At the moment, the number of companies producing such chewing gum is reduced to a minimum. However, you should give preference to buying sweets from well-known companies.

What to do if a child swallows gum?

If an infant accidentally swallows gum, only a doctor can advise what to do. You should not hope that the mass will be eliminated by the body on its own. In this case, an appointment with a doctor is vital. Parents should keep the chewing sticks away from the baby, as small children swallow the gum immediately, experiencing a pleasant aroma and sweetish taste.

What to do if your baby swallows gum:

• For attacks of diarrhea, give medicine.
• In case of allergic attacks, lubricate skin redness with special creams.
• For constipation, do an enema as prescribed by your doctor.
• If you feel nauseous, give more water to drink and do not stop vomiting.

As mentioned above, if a child swallows gum, then it will come out naturally. You should only worry if your baby has eaten a whole pack or several packs. This is very dangerous for human health, especially if he is young. Urgent consultation with a doctor and monitoring of the child’s condition is necessary.

The main thing a parent should do in such a situation is to make every effort to normalize the functioning of the young body. It is advisable to drink more water and eat more high-fiber foods - cereals, vegetables, legumes. The doctor will give more detailed recommendations depending on the specific situation and the baby’s well-being.

Precautionary measures

To avoid such incidents, the following rules must be adhered to:

Parents should not neglect precautions if their baby has eaten chewing gum. Even if there is a small amount of sweetness in the stomach, it is necessary to monitor the condition and well-being of the children. There is no need to do anything specific - it is important to make sure that baby feels good. It is also advisable to make sure that the mass has left his body.

Our magazine has already talked about how “useful” chewing gum is for pregnant women. Now we will try to find the answer to the question of what will happen if you swallow chewing gum. And what exactly to do in this situation. Well, in the process of considering this problem, we will, willy-nilly, debunk a couple of myths about swallowed chewing gum... So, what happens if you swallow chewing gum?

It will not be possible to find a definite answer, because one of four options can “happen”: nothing will happen; diarrhea or constipation; allergy attack; food poisoning.

The desired option is known to everyone, so we will postpone the conditions for its occurrence until “dessert” (if you want, you can consider this the whim of the author). Well, in order not to disturb the order of the points, let's discuss what can happen if you swallow gum, starting from the end of the list of consequences. By the way, it should be said right away that the effect does not depend on whether the gum was swallowed by a child or an adult, except that a child’s reaction may be a little stronger, because the body is small...

When swallowed gum causes food poisoning

Food poisoning is only possible if you swallow low-quality chewing gum consisting of poisonous and toxic ingredients. Unfortunately, such chewing gum still exists, all over the world. And it’s not even about underground factories producing counterfeits. Even completely legal manufacturers of chewing gum supply stores with chewing gum containing toxic substances, the harmfulness of which has not yet been “proven.” Alas, it’s quite difficult for non-specialists to point fingers at bad chewing gum, so just don’t swallow chewing gum from unknown brands.

What to do if you swallowed poisonous gum?

The first step is to induce vomiting (if you still don’t) and see if you can get rid of the toxic gum this way. If it works, observe the reaction of the “patient’s” body and decide according to the circumstances; if not, go to the hospital. Let them decide how to help the victim.

When swallowing chewing gum causes an allergy attack

Sometimes an allergy occurs from just one chewing gum, but it is much more likely that the body will react inappropriately if a large number of chewing gums are swallowed. Don’t think that this doesn’t happen, because often children and adults don’t understand the dangers of chewing gum. They swallow it on a dare, out of curiosity, out of carelessness - in general, it happens.

What to do if you swallowed gum with an allergen?

If, after an adult or child swallows gum, he shows signs of an allergy, first take an anti-allergy drug and try to “extract” the gum by vomiting. At the same time, find out how much harmful rubber was swallowed in order to understand whether there is anything else left in the body. If you manage to “drive out” the chewing gum yourself, watch the “swallower” with a bottle (or whatever you have) of an antiallergic drug. If the chewing gum does not come out or there is a lot of it, go to the hospital, since it is quite possible that in this case it will be difficult to cope without professional doctors.

Diarrhea

To get diarrhea, you need to chew several packs of chewing gum per day. If you swallow gum, you will need much less.

Since this fact raises doubts among many people who have swallowed more than a dozen chewing gums in their time (usually at different times), let me quote data from the English medical journal “The Lancet” (the entire next paragraph). Each chewing gum contains some kind of sweetener (sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol or maltitol), which is also a laxative. Therefore, getting a large dose of one of them into your body promises you diarrhea, and sometimes flatulence or abdominal pain.

It should be noted that other symptoms are possible. The same publication describes a slightly different case when a boy chewed about ten packs of gum in a day, after which his heart rate doubled - up to 147 beats per minute, trips to the toilet “for minor needs” became more frequent and excessive aggression appeared. And all this because of the tiny dose of caffeine in each piece of chewing gum, which simply “added up.”

Perhaps, when swallowing, it is also possible to achieve such serious “results”, since if a child swallows several such chewing gums, his level of excitement can jump noticeably, his heart speed up, and so on. So, if swallowed chewing gum causes diarrhea, get rid of the chewing gum and drink more liquid (water, compote).

How long does it take for chewing gum to be digested?

If only one portion is swallowed, the digestion process will take about 6-10 hours, maybe a little more. But what happens if you swallow gum the size of a small cupcake? Would you say this doesn’t happen? Hmm... If you believe the publication in the American magazine "Pediatrics", then this happens. By the way, it is not necessary to swallow the whole lump at once, because you can gradually - piece by piece... Apparently, this is what two 4-year-old children of different sexes did, from whose rectum, after prolonged constipation, heavy lumps of chewing gum were removed. Better be on your guard. And if anything happens, go straight to the doctor.

Nothing will happen if...

Well, in the most common case, when swallowing gum, you will not notice any deviations from the norm. This option “threatens” you when only one gum without clearly harmful components is swallowed. It will just come out after a while (remember how long it takes for chewing gum to be digested). But you still shouldn’t swallow chewing gum, since there are too many unstudied and “unproven” components, due to which there will still be a negative effect, albeit invisible. Be healthy!