ANN/dpa/THE STAR – Research suggests that the shift away from using coins in many countries appears to be driving a decrease in the number of children requiring surgery to remove objects they have swallowed or stuck up their noses.
Analysis published in The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England journal last year (2024) found far fewer children are now needing hospital procedures to remove objects from throats, noses and airways.
Contactless payments were first introduced in Britain in 2007, and cash payments significantly declined from 2012 onwards, the researchers said.
Their study looked at English hospital data from 2000 to 2022 for objects removed from babies and children aged up to 14.
Looking closely from 2012, when cash became less popular, the study found a “significant decline” in foreign bodies removed from the digestive tract, respiratory tract and nasal cavity.
Between 2012 and 2022, there was a 29 per cent drop (689 cases), from 2,405 in 2012 to 1,716 in 2022.
Digestive tract operations fell by 195 procedures over the decade, from 708 to 513.
Nasal cavity operations fell by 484, from 1,565 to 1,081, and respiratory tract procedures fell by 10, from 132 to 122.
Study lead author and ear, nose and throat (ENT) registrar (medical officer) Dr Akash Jangan said: “Our research shows that using cashless payment methods instead of coins has potentially helped keep children safe and reduced the need for surgery.
“This unintended finding proves that changes in how we live can make a difference to people’s health. It also means healthcare resources can be allocated to helping patients in other ways.”
Researchers noted that historically, coins were recognised as one of the most frequently ingested foreign objects.
Coins have been implicated in more than three-quarters of swallowed foreign bodies in children under the age of six and are “frequently ingested because of their thin, round shape and easy accessibility,” they added.
They suggested the cost of removing foreign bodies is around GBP2.8mil (MYR16.3mil) a year.
The researchers noted that other factors may have contributed to the reduction in children ingesting objects, such as improved child-proof packaging and better awareness among parents.
However, they stated that parents should still remain vigilant against all dangers, including button batteries and magnets, which can be lethal.
“It is positive that fewer children are swallowing coins,” said consultant surgeon Dr Ram Moorthy of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
“This study shows how new technology can make children safer in ways we didn’t intend, but there are still hazardous items to be aware of.
“As doctors, we still worry about other dangerous items, such as button batteries and magnets, that can really cause harm,” he said.
“We must continue to make sure that small items like this are not within a child’s reach.”
