What Happens If You Swallow A LEGO®?

Whether you have accidentally swallowed a LEGO® piece or brick, there is no cause for concern…yet.

Perhaps, a furry friend or a family member has indulged in the taste of a sweet LEGO® brick. I highly do not recommend eating or swallowing plastic bricks, but accidents do happen. If you swallow a small LEGO® piece, chances are you are going to be just fine! Scientists actually ran an experiment where they swallowed a small LEGO® head. The results showed, in summary, nothing really happened and the piece was naturally expelled.

What Happened To The Scientists Who Swallowed A LEGO® Head?

The scientists had this hysterical rating scale for the time it took the LEGO® head to travel the entirety of the gastrointestinal tract: The Found and Retrieval Time, or FART score for short. On average, these six brave and pioneering scientists discovered that it took roughly 1.7 days for the LEGO® head to travel completely through the GI tract. While one experimenter was unable to locate a LEGO® head, they were pretty sure it was due to human error. Most likely, all LEGO® heads made their way to the bottom of the toilet.

What Do You Do If You Swallow A LEGO®?

Whether you are an adult or a child, don’t panic as there is no immediate emergency. However, monitor the individual’s behavior and health after the fact. Due to a child’s GI tract being shorter than an adults, one can assume the time for a child to expel a small LEGO® piece might take shorter than 1.7 days. Overall, as long as the individual is healthy, happy, and asymptomatic, the piece should then end up in the plumbing system. Lastly, no need to retrieve the LEGO® piece. I would let that one go and keep the kids dropped off by the pool. And, if you are concerned, there is definitely no issue contacting a primary care physician for help.

What Does Stomach Acid Do To The LEGO®?

LEGO® is made from an extremely durable plastic called ABS. Chances are, GI tract bodily fluids will have no effect on the LEGO® piece and it will remain intact. However, there are all sorts of bacteria that live in equilibrium inside your body, so whatever that LEGO® piece is covered with, it is probably no longer entirely safe to interact with once it is expelled.

A Parting Note On Swallowing LEGO® Pieces

Please do yourself a favor and do not make this a habit. Accidents happen and you should be fine. Chances are, you are just going to FART it out!

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