2yo swallowed a small 2cm L-shaped plastic piece (cap). Pediatric hotline said to monitor at home, looking for peace of mind/similar stories!
Hey everyone, looking for some reassurance or similar experiences.
My 2-year-old son just swallowed a small plastic piece from a medicine bottle. It’s shaped like a curved "L" with completely smooth/rounded edges (no sharp corners), and it’s about 2cm long (roughly the size of an adult fingernail).
He didn't choke at all, he is breathing perfectly fine, running around, and currently eating his favorite chicken and veggie soup like nothing happened.
I already called our local pediatric hotline and the doctor told us there is no need to go to the ER since he is completely asymptomatic. We just need to monitor him at home and check his diapers over the next 3–5 days.
Has anyone's toddler swallowed something similar in size/shape? How long did it take to pass? Any tips on finding it in the diaper besides the obvious "digging around"?
This is the object: https://imgur.com/a/ZgV7T8x
Thanks in advance!
Posted Jul 10, 2026, 6:00 PM UTC