More kids going to emergency room after swallowing objects

More young children are being treated in emergency rooms after swallowing potentially dangerous items. 

Pennies are the objects most likely to attract curious toddlers, who swallow the coins, and are then rushed to the hospital. 

Recommended Videos



Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio found between 1995 and 2015, nearly 800,000 kids under age six were seen in an emergency room after swallowing some kind of foreign object. 

Perhaps most dangerous are button batteries, the small batteries you find in watches and hearing aids. 

"This study really highlights the need for increased vigilance in the home or anywhere that children are present," said Dr. Danielle Orsagh-Yentis with Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Button battery-related emergency visits more than doubled over the study period. If you have devices with those batteries, keep them out of kids' reach.