Swallowed Purim noisemaker part sends 3 year old to hospital

Child saved by a gastroscopy under general anesthesia at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
kids 88 purim (photo credit: )
kids 88 purim
(photo credit: )
A serrated plastic wheel from a Purim noisemaker that was handed out to children in a nursery school seriously endangered three-year-old Ayala Levy, who was saved on Monday by a gastroscopy under general anesthesia at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot. Shmaya, the girl's father, said that soon after the noisemakers were handed out, Ayala began to chew it and the small part dislodged itself into her mouth. The nursery school teacher quickly called for Magen David Adom medics, who gave her first aid and rushed her to the hospital. Dr. Michal Corey, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Kaplan, said Ayala arrived vomiting and complaining of pain in her neck and throat. She underwent imaging, and the piece of plastic was found stuck in her esophagus and preventing the entrance of food. Under general anesthesia in the operating room, the child underwent a gastroscopy, in which an optic fiber is introduced into the body to view inside. Corey managed to pull the two-centimeter plastic disk out without having to perform a major operation. An hour later, the child was able to speak, walk, eat and run. Her father warned all parents to pay attention to all small objects within their children's reach, especially around Purim. They can enter not only the esophagus, but also the trachea and choke the child. Corey added that only food should be allowed to enter small children's mouths, and even food should be sliced or chopped up into small, safe bits. Child safety experts note that toys that have parts as small as a 10-agorot coin should not be within the reach of children under age four.