After the Removal of a Bezoar: How to Care for Your Child
A bezoar (BEE-zor) is a hard lump of hair, chewing gum, food, or medicine in the stomach or intestine. Some bezoars can grow big enough that they keep food from passing through the body.
Health care providers remove some bezoars by passing a camera through the patient's mouth into the stomach (called endoscopy), while others are removed through surgery. The health care provider used the best method for your child to remove the bezoar.
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Follow the directions about what to feed your child.
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Follow your care team's instructions about giving any pain medicines. These may include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand), ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand), or prescription pain medicine. Some pain medicines include the same or similar ingredients. To avoid giving too much, give the medicines exactly as your care team recommends.
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After an endoscopy, if your child's throat is sore, offer cold drinks and ice pops.
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If your child needed surgery to remove the bezoar, follow the instructions for taking care of the surgical site and changing the bandage.
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Follow the instructions about when it is OK for your child to return to school and other activities.
Your child has:
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nausea or vomiting, or refuses to eat
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diarrhea
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fever
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trouble swallowing
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belly or chest pain
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shortness of breath or trouble breathing
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redness, warmth, pus, or increasing pain at the surgical site
Your child:
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coughs or spits up blood
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can't keep food or liquids down
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has severe belly pain or the belly seems hard
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has bloody or black stool (poop)
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vomits blood
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has signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with little or no tears, or peeing less often (or having fewer wet diapers)
Do bezoars come back? Some kids develop bezoars again. If your child has a lot of vomiting, stomach pain, or weight loss, call your health care provider, and remind them of your child's previous bezoar.