Not all foreign bodies are created equal

Foreign body ingestions in children and adolescents can pose significant challenge both in terms of diagnosis and treatment. The pediatric scientific literature is relatively scarce and consists mostly of case reports and small case series, therefore making firm guidelines and management recommendations rather difficult. The type of ingestions seen may vary in different countries and it changes over time depending on implementation of safety measures, or introduction of new products. Lately, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of high-powered multiple magnet, and large disc battery ingestions. Both of these are associated with potentially serious complications including fatal outcomes. This paper briefly discusses some of the important aspects of critical foreign body ingestions, proposed management algorithms, and efforts necessary to increase public awareness in order to minimize complications and improve prevention.