Oesophageal foreign body: an unusual cause of respiratory symptoms in a three-week-old baby

Abstract

AbstractImpaction of a foreign body in the oesophagus is common in children. If the event is not witnessed by an adult or the object is radiolucent the diagnosis is difficult as respiratory symptoms may predominate. We report a three-week-old child with respiratory symptoms who had both a respiratory syncytial virus infection and a radio-lucent oesophageal foreign body. This case is the youngest yet reported and serves as a reminder of the difficulties in the diagnosis of this important condition.