Babies can put everything in their mouths. Even if those things sound impossible or unreal to be eaten, trust us, the baby will experiment with it and try it. There goes chewing, licking, and at the end eating things that are not meant to be eaten.
In the period of teething, this will be something that happens on a daily basis. Babies can put their hands, toys, and cutlery in their mouths because it feels soothing when they rub it on their palate.
Anyhow, kids do this as well when they are exploring the world around them. So, most often when children are outside playing, they will put everything that catches the eye inside their mouth.
There goes eating bird poop, or any other animal feces, mud, and even sand. If this happens to your little one, and if you notice that your baby has eaten a bigger amount of sand, make sure you monitor their behavior and their health in general.
If you see that your baby is having nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, or even a mild fever, please take your baby to its pediatrician immediately.
This is a normal phase for babies, but it can be a dangerous path, especially to the things that look like food. Baby ate sand is very common.
This situation can happen when the baby eats the sand that he or she found somewhere in its home. But the most possible place where babies will find this kind non eatable item is from their play area. Baby might find a pile of sand and see it as a snack.
So, to avoid this not-so-pleasant situation, make sure there’s no loose sand around the toddler until they are old enough.
Can eating sand make a baby sick?
Even though it’s not enjoyable to see that your baby ate sand, you should not panic. Baby would probably taste it a bit and spit it out because the taste is not desirable. Anyhow, sometimes the sand can contain fecal material and bacteria especially if the sand was outside.
But again, there’s a slight chance of that happening and a chance of the baby getting sick is pretty low.
Nevertheless, if you are too worried, you can always take your little one to visit the doctor and make sure everything is completely fine.
A little bit of sand is not going to harm your baby. The baby may taste it and spit it out, which is natural. Baby will most likely not eat enough sand to make him/her sick.
Even if the baby swallows a small amount of it, he/she would probably throw up right away because there’s no way that a tiny amount of sand will stay in the stomach for very long.
What happens when a baby eats sand?
You should not worry if your baby ate sand. This refers to a smaller amount of sand. Babies have their own immune system developed, and they will find their own way of dealing with it.
Monitor baby behavior to see if there are any changes. If the baby gets a stomach ache, diarrhea, or vomiting, the best thing to do is take them to a doctor.
Offer plenty of water, and make sure to burp babies often. Baby sand is slippery and can slip out easily. Make sure kids watch where they step when outside so they will not eat rocks or other hard things by mistake.
If the baby eats a lot of sand, then they might get their stomach ache or become constipated for a couple of days. If that happens, you should get them checked out.
Is sand harmful if swallowed?
Babies can swallow kinetic sand, which is actually harmless in terms of poisoning. However it can cause choking hazards, and even constipation if it’s eaten in large amounts. In rare cases, kinetic sand can trigger gastrointestinal obstruction, but this is very exceptional.
Sand toxicity information: Baby swallowing kinetic sand has only mild side effects especially compared to other forms of poisoning in infants and young children. Professionals have also found that the baby isn’t really at risk for gastrointestinal obstruction, but this is very rarely the case.
Baby swallowing kinetic sand in small amounts is not going to cause any hazardous effects. The baby may feel some discomfort or mild gagging but they will be fine after a while.
Baby choking on kinetic sand would usually happen if there was too much of it ingested at once, and the body couldn’t properly break down the substance to dispense it through the system correctly.
Normal or regular sand on the other hand can pose more dangerous consequences for the baby if swallowed. Baby swallowing sand often goes unnoticed because it does not seem like an issue until later on when complications arise.
At this point, a toddler can also be exposed to allergens contained within the sand, which might cause irritation or an allergic reaction. The consequences would be shown in the form of bellyache because of the ingestion.
But this will eventually pass through their system naturally without any issues. If not, as mentioned above, take your little one to a doctor to receive proper care.
Can eating sand give you diarrhea?
There is a very small risk of getting diarrhea when sand is ingested. This can happen if the sand also contained animal feces like birds, dogs, or cat poop. The risk of this happening would increase if a child swallows a large amount of sand.
Some babies have been known to do this when the mother left them alone for a little bit and they were not old enough to know better yet.
Unfortunately, children sometimes put anything in their mouths that piques their curiosity, which means that a baby playing outside can easily turn into baby ate sand.
Summary
There’s no need to panic if you notice that your baby ate sand. We’re not saying that it’s an enjoyable thing to experience, but it is probably harmless and your baby will go without any bigger health consequences.
Toddlers’ immune systems will find a way to deal with it, especially if a small amount of regular sand was ingested. The consequences will be even smaller if noticed at all if the baby ate kinetic sand.
Anyhow, if you notice any behavioral changes regarding the baby’s health like stomach ache, vomiting, and even fever, the best course of action is to take your baby to your healthcare provider and receive appropriate treatment.
