Parents Cautioned

A 22-month-old infant was brought to the ER at Schneider Children’s after suffering a fall from 2 stories. She had been descending stairs without a handrail with her mother at home. The child arrived fully conscious and stable. Due to the severe fall, doctors requested an urgent CT, which was viewed by Dr. Osnat Konan, Director of Imaging at Schneider Children’s, and who was amazed to find foreign bodies in the child’s colon.

Upon questioning, the mother said that she was unaware that her child had swallowed any foods that might cause a blockage. Since the foreign bodies were found in the large bowel, it was decided to place the infant under observation until they had passed out of her body. They were later discovered to be olive pits.

Dr. Konen said that “much to our luck, this incident ended well, but it is important to reiterate and emphasize to parents that they must pay attention to everything their children put in their mouths. Foods that are not suitable for infants and small children such as fruit with pits or snacks must be moved out of their reach. Fruit should be sliced into small round pieces to prevent them from being inhaled or swallowed whole, which can cause choking and injury to the bowel.”