What's That? 3 Steps To Take When Your Toddler Stuffs Something Up Their Nose

Toddlers are full of surprises. Unfortunately, some of those surprises can lead to a trip to the urgent care. If you just experienced a surprising moment when you discovered something stuck up inside your toddler's nose, you might be wondering what to do next, especially if this is your first experience with this particular problem. Don't panic. Your doctor will be able to remove the object. Here are three steps you should take.

Try to Remove It

Take a look up your child's nose. If the object is large enough to see, and it's close to the nasal opening, you might be able to retrieve it yourself. Wrap your little one up in a blanket and have them rest on your lap with their head slightly tilted towards the back. Carefully use a pair of tweezers to remove the object.

It's important to note that if your child is wiggly, or the object is not near the opening of the nasal passages, you should not try to remove the object yourself. It's also important that you not try to bring the object closer by using your finger or a cotton swab. This could accidentally push the object further into the nasal cavity and make it more difficult to remove.

Encourage Mouth Breathing

If your little one is trying sniff the object out of their nose, you should encourage them to stop. Instead, have them breathe through their mouth until the object can be removed from their nose. If your child is not comfortable breathing through their mouth, you can encourage it by having them gently blow on something in your hand. Each time they blow on the object, they will be exhaling through their mouth. They'll need to inhale through their mouth to obtain more air for the next blow. Continue this process until the object is removed.

Get to the Doctor

If you've been unable to remove the object, you need to take your child to the doctor. Foreign objects up the nose can cause breathing problems. Not only that but if left in long enough it can cause bleeding and increased pain, as well as foul-smelling discharge.

If your toddler has something stuck up their nose – like an eraser or a small piece of food – you need to remove it as soon as possible. The tips provided here will help you take the necessary steps to remove the object safely and effectively. Contact a primary care physician in your area to find out more.   

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