A kid’s natural curiosity may cause them to do something you don’t like, like pull all of the Tupperware out of your cabinet or put some of your favorite craft supplies from Tuesday Morning up their nose. While discovering a foreign object in your child’s nose may be alarming, there are ways you can get it out safely, which we review below.
How to Tell if There’s a Foreign Object in Your Child’s Nose
Unfortunately, kids that are young enough to be putting things in their nose often can’t tell you if they’ve done so. It’s important to look out for the signs:
- A bulge on one side of your child’s nose.
- Nasal drainage on one side.
- Nasal drainage with a bad odor.
- A bloody nose.
What to Do If Your Child Gets Something Stuck in Their Nose
If you’ve identified a foreign object in the nose, you should first tell your child to breathe through their mouth if they’re old enough to understand. This is to prevent the object from getting sucked further up.
Next, plug the child’s clear nostril and tell them to gently blow out. Don’t tell them to blow forcefully, as this could cause them to sharply inhale after, sucking the object back up. Try this once or twice.
If that doesn’t work, you can try a method known as the “parent’s kiss.” To perform the parent’s kiss, first wait for your child to inhale. As they’re naturally exhaling, close the clear nostril, then “kiss” your child using a mouth-to-mouth method. Begin blowing until you feel resistance, which means the glottis (the space between the vocal cords) is closed. Finally, use a quick blow to try and push the object out of your child’s nose.
The parent’s kiss is a less stressful technique than having them be restrained in a hospital or doctor’s office. No adverse reactions have been reported in eight clinical trials, and it is effective approximately six out of 10 times.
If none of these strategies work, then take your child to the doctor to have the object removed.
What Not to Do
If your child has something in their nose, be sure to not:
- Panic
- Pull on the object, unless it is hanging out of the nose, safely within reach and you’re certain it hasn’t caused any damage
- Try to remove the object using household appliances, including tweezers or a vacuum cleaner
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an ear, nose and throat expert, call Red River ENT today.
