title: An Unusual Cause of Persistent Crying in a Toddler.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive or persistent crying is a common presentation to the pediatric emergency department, and often poses a diagnostic dilemma to emergency physicians. There are several reasons for excessive or persistent crying in children, ranging from benign causes like hunger, to life-threatening causes such as intussusception.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report an interesting case of a toddler whose cause of excess crying, with no detectable clinical clues, was eventually attributed to a foreign body in the esophagus. A brief review of diagnostic approach to excess crying and management of ingested foreign bodies is presented. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Ingested foreign body is a potential cause of persistent crying, and early recognition can result in definitive treatment and prevention of potential mortality and morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kondamudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Haamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chamdawala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Iona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003448:Crying; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods
keywords: foreign body; imaging; persistent crying; toddler