Unsupervised children ingest a variety of objects besides forbidden snacks. A recent study by emergency-room pediatricians at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas revealed that pennies were the most common objects children swallow. Other objects noted in the study were pushpins, an aluminum pull tab, a bullet and a prosthetic eye.
Supervision is vital if children are in contact with such objects.
If children swallow an object and have difficulty breathing or swallowing, get them to the nearest emergency room, Primm says. If you think your child has swallowed something, but breathing is unhampered, have him or her checked by a pediatrician. Objects smaller than two centimeters in diameter will usually pass through the child's system in a few days and, in most cases, will not require surgical removal. You've heard about the danger the sun poses to your skin, but prolonged exposure to bright sunlight also can damage your eyes. Damage is caused by a lifetime of sun exposure.