Recurrent rectal foreign-body insertion in a child with caregiver-reported problematic short-form video use: A hypothesis-generating case report

Background Rectal foreign body refers to any object that enters the colon and rectum through the mouth or anus, becomes impacted, and cannot be expelled spontaneously. Foreign bodies in the pediatric gastrointestinal tract are relatively common in pediatric emergency departments; most of which are coins, fruit pits, button batteries, magnets, and toy parts ingested orally. Rectal foreign bodies in children are rare. Case Presentation We report a rare case of a preschool child who experienced two episodes of rectal foreign body within one year. Through a retrospective analysis of the child’s behavior in daily life, we identified problematic short-form video usage, as clearly reported by his caregivers. By analysing the various possible mechanisms underlying the two instances of unusual behavior in this case, while also reviewing and analysing previous research on similar issues among adolescents, we conducted a further discussion and analysis of the relationship between the child’s unusual behavior and his excessive exposure to short-form videos, and put forward our own hypothesis. Finally, under the supervision and guidance of his parents, the child’s behavior has improved. Conclusion We report a rare case of recurrent rectal foreign-body insertion in a preschool child. Our analysis leads us to hypothesise that there may be a potential link between the child’s unusual behavior and problematic use of short-form video apps. The putative association identified in this study is speculative and merely hypothesis‑generating; no definitive causal conclusions can be drawn. Larger‑scale studies are needed to validate or refute this potential association. In addition, when encountering similar preschool‑aged pediatric patients, clinicians should remind caregivers to pay attention to children’s media‑exposure status, and implement prudent supervision, patient guidance, and reasonable media use.