Foreign Body in Nose

Young children seem to enjoy putting foreign objects in their nostrils and then forgetting about them. Favorites are food, paper, cotton, and beads. The body tries to reject these intruders by producing a foul-smelling yellow nasal discharge.

First Aid

Your child can try to blow the object out by blowing his nose vigorously several times with the other nostril closed.

DO NOT try to remove the object by putting anything into the nose, including tweezers and fingers. This almost always pushes the object in farther and makes removal by the physician very difficult. Watch your child closely to make sure that he doesn't push it in.

Call Your Child's Health Care Provider Immediately If:

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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