What to do with foreign objects in the ears and nose of children?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Nam Phong - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.
An infant or young child can put a foreign object in his or her ears, nose, or mouth. Foreign bodies in the mouth can be swallowed or inhaled into the lungs by inhalation. Foreign bodies in the ears and nose can make it difficult for a child to hear, have trouble breathing, and can cause infections. In the case of swallowing a foreign body, the child may need general anesthesia and procedures to remove it. Foreign bodies inhaled into the airways can cause severe breathing difficulties and require surgical removal.

1. Foreign bodies in the ears and nose include what?

1.1. Foreign body in child's ear

The foreign body may be in the ear canal or in the child's ear canal. Foreign bodies are found in the auricle less often than in the ear canal. A foreign body in the ear canal can be anything a child can put in his or her ear. Typically:
- Food
- Insects
- Toys
- Buttons, buttons
- Piece of crayons
- Small round battery.
The reason children put objects in their ears is often because children are curious, or imitate other children's things. Sometimes, one child may put an object in another child's ear during play. Or insects can also fly into the ear canal, causing potential harm. Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists also note that children with chronic otitis externa tend to stuff things in their ears more often.

1.2. Foreign body in nose

Foreign bodies in a child's nose are usually soft objects. Include paper towels, clay, and toy pieces or an eraser. Sometimes, a foreign object can enter the nose while the child is trying to smell the object.
Children often put objects in their noses when they are bored, curious or imitating other children.

2. Signs to recognize this foreign body?

2.1. Foreign body in the ear

Some foreign bodies in the ear have no special symptoms for parents to recognize, while other objects such as food or insects, if stuck in the ear for a long time, can cause ear pain, tinnitus, fever. , red or yellow discharge. Babies may cry and touch their ears more.
Hearing may be affected if a foreign body blocks the immediate location of the tube. Pay attention to your baby's ears when he tells you that every sound he hears is not what it should be.

2.2. Foreign body in nose

If there is a foreign object stuck in the nose, the child will have some of the following symptoms:
Continuous runny nose but only one side, the discharge often has a bad smell. Nosebleeds Pain in the nose or around the nose Complains about a strange smell when no one else can smell anything Whistling sound when the child breathes through the nose Or the child has trouble breathing.

3. What are the dangers of these foreign bodies in the baby's ears and nose?

An undetected and unmoved foreign body can cause pain in the child and in the long run can lead to an infection that affects the child's health. A foreign body in the ear can cause a serious infection that can lead to deafness in a child.
Foreign objects in the nose can fall into the posterior nasal passage or move deeper into the child's trachea, causing difficulty breathing, or more seriously, the child may inhale the foreign body from the nose into his or her lungs if the object is too small.
Especially if children put batteries, buttons, sequins in their nose or ears, it can cause serious injury if not detected in time.

4. What to do if a child has a foreign body in his ear or nose?

Step 1: The first thing parents need to do when discovering a relic in a child's ear or nose is that parents must calm down and find a way to reassure the child, absolutely do not yell at the child, it will make the child cry unintentionally, creating favorable conditions for the child to cry. foreign bodies go deeper. Also do not attempt to remove the foreign body unless it is directly on the surface and is easy to remove.
Step 2: Following a brief assessment of the child's condition, ask the child to tell you what he or she has put in his nose or ear if he can. Most foreign bodies don't cause immediate problems, but if it's a button battery or anything containing harmful chemicals, see your doctor right away. They can cause serious damage within hours if not removed.
Step 3: Visually check the blockage in the child's nose or ears by having the child lie still or sit at eye level, using a flashlight to observe. Determine what the object is and whether it is shallow or deep. If it's right outside; Not a toy battery, metal or an insect and the child cooperates, you can do the following actions:
+ Foreign object in the ear : Tilt the child's head towards the ear with the foreign object, gently shake it in combination with hand pulling. Gently pat the earlobe to allow the foreign body to fall out. If the object doesn't fall out, you can pull it out with tweezers, but as long as you can see it and the object is close enough that you can pick it up with blunt tweezers without pushing it deeper.
If the foreign body is a living insect, you should shine a flashlight to let them see the light and crawl out. But if they refuse to come out, you can put a few drops of salt water and let the child lie on the opposite side to let the insects come out on their own.
+ Foreign object in the nose: first ask the child to take a deep breath from the mouth, then use your finger to press the side of the nose without pain and then ask the child to blow hard.
If the child is uncooperative or the foreign body is too deep, immediately take the child to see a doctor to remove the foreign body.

5. How to remove foreign body from child's nose or ear?

The first thing the doctor will do is examine the child's ears, nose and throat to see how deep the foreign body has entered and what it is. The doctor will then check the child's overall condition to come up with the most optimal plan.
The doctor can use specialized tweezers or a suction machine to suck out the foreign body. If the foreign body is an insect, the doctor will inject a little mineral oil into it, causing the insect to suffocate, then use tweezers to pick it up. If the object is metal, the doctor can use a magnet to pull it out.
After the foreign body is removed, the doctor will check again to make sure there are not any foreign objects and may prescribe ear nose drops or antibiotic ointment for the child to use to prevent infection.

6. How do I prevent this from happening?

It is inevitable for your child to put a foreign object in his nose or ear between the ages of 1-5 years old. So, to limit that, please note the following issues:
Choose age-appropriate toys. Monitor your child as closely as you can. Teach children not to put anything in their nose or ears Keep small objects out of reach of children Toys with batteries where the battery is installed should be securely fixed. Ask questions and care for your baby when he or she comes home from school or play. Don't leave out any details about your child's health that he or she tells you.

When a child shows abnormal signs of health, parents can take the child to Vinmec Health system for timely examination and treatment. As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department - Hospital Vinmec International General Hospital always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts thanks to the following advantages:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts in the field. , has high professional qualifications (professor, associate professor, doctorate, master), rich experience, has worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained. , professional, have mind - reach, understand young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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Reference source: babycenter.com; health.qld.gov.au; chop.edu