So your child has stuck something up his nose

CHILDREN are inquisitive by nature, and having a fondness for exploring their bodies is one of the most common ways in which this curiosity is expressed. They insert various objects — from beads to pieces of sponge and seeds — up their nostrils, oblivious to the potential ramifications of their actions.

Discovering that your child has stuck something up his/her nostril can be frightening, but associate lecturer at the University of the West Indies and consultant otolaryngologist at Facial and Oral Surgery Associates, Dr Francis Barnett, said that parents should ensure that they refrain from panicking and instead try to exercise good judgement in order to ensure they don’t cause the children further harm.

“Children, especially those between the ages of two and five, have immense curiosity about their bodies and environment and unfortunately, this can lead them to put things up their nostrils,” Dr Barnett said.

“Foreign bodies in the nose are treated as an emergency and should not be taken lightly.”

He said while objects at the surface of the nostrils can be removed with the aid of a tweezer, parents should never try to extract objects that are further in the nostrils, or they expose themselves to the potential risk of pushing the object so far back that it falls into the throat.

“Foreign bodies in the nose have the potential risk of falling back into the throat causing suffocation if they get into the windpipe and they may also lead to life-threatening pneumonia if they get into the lungs.”

He advised parents to watch their children intently because in many instances objects stuck in the nose are not visible at first glance, but the signs of their presence could appear over time.

“Nasal foreign bodies may go unnoticed for a while as the signs may take time to develop. If you observe a runny nose affecting one nostril — this drainage may be yellow and malodorous — this could be a sign of inflammation and infection and is usually followed by bloody nasal discharge. Parents should consult an ear, nose and throat specialist immediately,” Dr Barnett advised

He encouraged parents to seek immediate medical attention for their children, because the medical implications of objects stuck in the nose can be catastrophic.

“Parents should never think that the child will lose the objects if they continue to blow outwards, because depending on the type of object, there can be other health implications. For example, a watch battery could cause severe caustic injury due to the leakage of battery contents,” Dr Barnett warned.

He cautioned parents against leaving children below age seven alone with objects smaller than their fists since foreign bodies in the ear, upper digestive tract, windpipe and lungs could lead to life-threatening illnesses and even death.