My child swallowed a bead - what do I do?

What the evidence says

First figure out what kind of bead it was. A hard plastic, wood, glass or metal bead - like the kind on jewelry or a craft project - almost always passes safely through the stomach and intestines on its own within a few days, especially if your child has no symptoms.

However, water beads (sometimes called sensory beads or gel beads) are a different story. These are small beads that soak up water and grow much bigger over time. If swallowed, they can keep expanding inside your child's body and block their intestines. Even one water bead swallowed is a reason to go to hospital, even if your child seems completely fine right now.

For an ordinary bead, watch closely for warning signs over the next few days: drooling, gagging, vomiting, refusing to eat or drink, coughing, trouble breathing, or pain in the throat, chest or belly. If any of these happen, go to the emergency department or call your doctor right away, because the bead may be stuck rather than passing through normally.

If your child has no symptoms and it was a normal solid bead, you can usually just keep an eye on them and let nature take its course - most objects pass in stool within three to five days. You do not need to search through diapers or stool to find it. Give your doctor a call anyway if you are unsure what the bead was made of, or if your child is under two years old, since younger children are more likely to have something get stuck.

If you know or suspect it was actually a small round button battery rather than a bead, that is a true emergency - go to the nearest emergency department immediately, since battery burns can start within two hours.