Patient's question:
I want to know, if my baby accidentally swallowed mercury from a thermometer, how many days will it take for them to die? Please answer, thank you?Doctor's answer:
Hello, the baby ingested mercury from the thermometer. Mercury will not be absorbed in the intact gastrointestinal tract and will gradually be excreted through the stool. Therefore, this situation is generally not likely to cause the baby's death. If the gastrointestinal tract itself is damaged, the most likely outcome is that there will be no problem at all. Metal mercury is not absorbed when it enters a mucosa-intact digestive tract and will be excreted through the stool. It is only when there is ulcer disease or other mucosal damage that it may be absorbed into the bloodstream, at which point it can affect the body. Blood mercury levels can be tested after confirming that the mercury has been excreted through imaging. For a baby in this situation, it is recommended to be hospitalized for observation.