A toddler who accidentally swallowed her mother's diamond ring in China's Guangdong province was rushed to hospital, local reports say.

The incident occurred last Friday (March 23) in Zhuhai city's Jinwan district, the Southern Metropolis Daily said in a report on Monday.

The mother had given the ring to her two-year-old daughter after she asked to play with it, the South China Morning Post reported, citing Guangdong Television.

The mother fell asleep for about 10 minutes before being woken up by her daughter's crying.

She realised that her daughter had swallowed the ring when the child pointed to her mouth and said "ring".

She was rushed to the Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, where doctors retrieved a diamond ring that measured 2.35cm by 2.05cm from her throat after an operation that lasted half an hour.

Doctors at the hospital reminded parents that it receives quite a number of cases involving young children who accidentally ingested items.

These include diamond rings, coins, hair clips, buttons and marbles.

They advised parents to be careful to prevent children from swallowing small items, which could lead to dire consequences.

SingHealth's website gives recommendations on what to do if children swallow objects.

Children may swallow fish bones at times and complain of pain in the throat only a few hours later.

It advised parents to seek immediate medical attention and take the child to the Accident and Emergency department.

Other than swallowing, children may accidentally inhale food when they laugh or talk as they eat, or if they eat while lying down, SingHealth said.

The most common food that is inhaled is peanuts, and SingHealth advised parents never to allow children aged three and below to eat or play with peanuts.

If the child turns blue or become unconscious after choking because inhaled objects obstruct the windpipe, call for urgent medical attention.