Handling foreign bodies in children's ears

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is expertly consulted by Master, Doctor Truong Thanh Tam - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Dr. Tam has 15 years of experience working in the field of Pediatrics.
Foreign body in the ear is a condition in which foreign objects (insects, toys, small objects...) fall into the outer ear canal, causing damage or blockage. This is also considered an ENT emergency that is common in young children. Parents should know how to remove foreign bodies in the ear to have timely treatment when necessary.

1. Overview

In some cases, young children may accidentally let insects or small objects fall into their ears. The junction between the outer ear canal and the bony ear canal is usually very narrow. Foreign bodies that fall into the ear often get stuck in this location, making it difficult to remove. Often foreign bodies may not cause immediate danger, but panic and improper removal of the object in the ear can lead to more serious complications and damage.
Cause :
Children play with toys and put foreign objects in their ears (usually small particles, plastic toys, pebbles, popcorn seeds). The part of cotton that is left after removing earwax with cotton swabs. Insects (ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches...) enter the ear canal. Usually common in patients over 10 years of age.

2. Signs of a foreign body in the ear

Signs of a foreign body in the ear are:
Ear pain (where the foreign body damages the ear or eardrum or causes an ear infection). Hearing loss or impairment. Tinnitus . Feeling of tickling, discomfort when an insect enters the ear canal. Red, itchy skin or bleeding in the ear. Dizzy. If any of the following problems are present, parents should take their child to a specialist for examination:
When the foreign body cannot be easily removed. The child has difficulty hearing or tinnitus; Severe ear pain. There is pus or blood coming from the ear. Hospitalization criteria:
Must be hospitalized for anesthesia to remove foreign bodies in the ear when one of the following criteria is found:
Foreign objects with sharp edges such as glass, metal... Foreign objects stuck causing membrane damage atrium. Foreign bodies cause vestibular damage (causing vomiting, dizziness, nystagmus). The foreign body is trapped causing bleeding in the ear. Severe ear pain. Children do not cooperate.

3. Technique to remove foreign body in ear

The principle of handling foreign bodies in the ear also depends on the type of foreign body and the depth of the foreign body stuck in the ear. How to get a foreign body in the ear for a mild degree:
When the foreign body is an insect:
Turn off all the lights, go to a dark place, use a flashlight to shine on the painful ear, the insects will see the light and fly out. Or drop hydrogen peroxide or warm water into the ear, wait for the insect to not move, then tilt the painful ear, the insect will follow the water. When the foreign body is a toy or small object:
Have the child tilt his or her head toward the affected ear. Use a plastic tube about the same diameter as the ear hole, put it close to the ear and then suck it out with your mouth. Or use tweezers to gently remove if the foreign body is stuck in a shallow place (Be careful when applying, avoid pushing the object deep into the ear). If the above methods do not suck the foreign body out of the ear, it is necessary to take the child to a medical facility or hospital specializing in otolaryngology for treatment. Basically, the procedure to aspirate a more severe foreign body in the ear will be done as follows: First, the doctor will use an otoscope (otoscope) to look inside the ear canal to determine the type of foreign body , entrapment, and check for eardrum injury or infection. If the condition is severe, general anesthesia may be considered to remove the foreign body in the ear (if the child is uncooperative).
If the foreign body in the ear is a trapped live insect:
Kill the insect first by instilling vegetable oil, hydrogen peroxide, or warm water into the ear to suffocate the insect. Then use a microscope combined with an ear microsurgery instrument to remove the foreign body in the ear.

If it is another type of foreign body (toys, small objects, cotton swabs...):
Use a syringe to push the 0.9% sodium chloride pump into the ear canal to push the foreign body out. Or use forceps to carefully remove the foreign body. After the procedure, the patient can use pain reliever Paracetamol 10mg/kg/time. If an infection of the outer ear canal is found, the doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics.

4. Prevent foreign objects from falling into the ear

To prevent foreign bodies in the ears in young children, parents should apply the following measures:
Pay attention to children when they are playing, holding and holding small objects. Limit children's contact with objects that are too small, easy to get stuck. Limit the use of tissues, cotton swabs or small tools to clean the child's ear canal. Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
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