A mother who lost her gold ring was shocked to discover it lodged in her 2-year-old son’s throat.
The toddler, Adam, had been complaining of pain in his mouth while his mom was trying to feed him. Concerned, the mother took him to a local doctor, who found the missing ring in the boy’s esophagus.
The family, based in Jerusalem, was then told to go to a hospital, where an X-ray revealed the ring, according to Jam Press. The boy was then rushed into surgery to have it removed.
Luckily for the tot, the piece of jewelry was lodged in the proximal esophagus, and its higher location wasn’t considered a choking hazard.
Dr. Anat Dinur, the chief physician of the otolaryngology division at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, said Adam received care quickly, which prevented any “irreversible damage” to his throat.
The family added they are grateful for how quickly Adam was treated.
“We applaud the Shaare Zedek team for the prompt and attentive care that helped preserve his life,” his father, Muhammad, told Jam Press.
“After the intervention, Adam soon returned to eating and smiling,” he continued. “This incident reminded us to be careful and take care of our little ones.”
Dinur added that it’s important to keep an eye on young ones, noting that small objects — particularly batteries — can cause irreversible damage to children if swallowed.
Ingestion of button batteries — which are commonly found in children’s toys — could lead to life-threatening chemical reactions in as little as two hours. The battery acids react with saliva to create caustic soda that burns into tissue and causes internal bleeding.