What to do when your baby accidentally swallowed a silica gel?

Yes, that's exactly what had happened to us few days back.

We have got a new play pen for Marissa since I need to stay alone with her after this for quite sometime because Danial is away for a business trip. Play pen is needed because she had started crawling actively sampai nak terjatuh katil (okay yes memang nak dismantle dah katil tu).

While we were busy fixing the new play pen, we saw her playing with the dolls (yang dapat free untuk gantung n pusing tuh). And the next thing we realized the wrapper of the silica gel is already torn and wet sebab dia makan!!!

I managed to take out 1 tiny gel inside her mouth. Tapi berapa banyak yang dah di telan, nobody knows. Terus angkat and bawak ke toilet untuk further korek mulut dia dengan harapan dia akan muntah tapi she started crying sebab tak selesa. I can feel myself shivering kerisauan yang melampau, jari tangan kaki semua dah sejuk ketakutan. Dalam hati doa tak berhenti.

Without further delay, terus ke emergency at the nearest hospital which was KMC (takde yang lain yang lebih dekat dah). Refer paediatrician, Alhamdulillah nothing to worry katanyer.

Silica gel itself is not harmful, but the chemical that doped in to detect moisture tu yang harmful and toxic. The wrapper of the silica gel usually will clearly state "DO NOT EAT. DO NOT SWALLOW." Because the thing doesn't meant to be swallowed. Siapa tak seram kan?

What you should do?
1. Keluarkan as many gel as you can from the mouth.
2. Rinse the mouth (if possible, if baby cooperative).
3. Drink lots of water or milk.
4. Observe for any sign and symptom of abnormalities (diarrhoea, poor appetite etc.)
5. Monitor stool for any gel that is passed out together with the stools.

Source : Silica Gel Safety Data Sheet

Disebabkan doctor kat emergency pun not convincing at all, at all ya I repeat at all. So Danial and myself buat read up sendiri while waiting for our turn for consultation. Oh yes, kes emergency pun kena tunggu turn. I can't imagine kalau ada kes choking or shortness of breath mungkin kene queue up juga.

But among all the above, lesson to be learnt by us is that pay attention to her with what she is paying her attention to. Marissa slept the minute we drove back to our home. Tidur peluk tak lepas risau menyesal sedih kesian semua ada. *tariknapashembuspelanpelan*