By Steff WillisWednesday 11 Dec 2024ParentingReading Time: 4 minutes
Lego, peas, button batteries – if it fits, chances are it could end up in your child’s nose.
So, why do kids do put things up their nose?
No, they’re not having a “wet paint” moment, where they’ve been warned against it but they just have to see for themselves – they’re exploring and to some extent, copying (believe it or not!).
Still, going to the emergency department to get it removed is not how any family wants to spend a day – particularly not at Christmas, when these sorts of gifts are commonly around the house.
Recent research from Queensland Children’s Hospital shows that more than 1,650 children have presented to its emergency department over the past decade, with foreign objects up their nose – including Lego, button batteries, beads, balls, and crayons.
96five’s Jess Drummond spoke to Dr Anna Girardi, lecturer in speech pathology at the University of Southern Queensland about why this happens and how to handle it when it does.
“It’s quite a big thing happening in our hospital system at the moment” Dr Girardi said.
Dr Girardi, who specialises in paediatric feeding and swallowing, gives three main reasons why a child may end up with a foreign object up their nose.
The first is their natural curiosity, which is how children learn about the world around them.
“Developmentally, they are very curious. Zero to five years old, parents will know that they gravitate towards the thing they shouldn’t be touching,” Dr Girardi.
Secondly, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, imitation can lead to children going too far – even if no one else in the household has ended up with a Lego block up the nostrils.
“Kids mimic older siblings; they mimic adults” Dr Girardi said.
“They see adults and other siblings putting their hands up to their face or maybe blowing their nose or putting on makeup and that action just looks like, ‘Yeah, I might try that and see how it goes.’”
The third key reason why children end up in a sticky situation is because they don’t have the capacity to assess risk.
Signs That Something’s Stuck and What to Do
Dr Girardi says it can be tricky for parents or caregivers to notice that a child has put something up the nose, especially if the child can’t use language, but there are signs.
“You’ll probably notice that your child might be a bit uncomfortable; there might be blood or moisture around the nose.”
In the event that a little one does have a foreign object up the nose, Dr Girardi’s first piece of advice is for parents or caregivers to stay calm.
“If kids see you panicking, they will panic too and that’s not good in this situation.
“Encourage a gentle nose blow or non-invasive methods of trying to remove it. Don’t use tweezers or anything to stick up and try to get it out yourself because that can push it further up into the airway and we don’t want that.”
If the object cannot be removed easily, it’s time to seek professional help.
“Get to the GP and they will be able to safely remove it for you. If it is something sharp or a button battery, go straight to Emergency because they need to be removed straight away before they cause any damage.”
Prevention is Better than Cure
As difficult as it can be, Dr Girardi says that prevention is better than cure.
“Keeping small, shiny, tempting objects out of reach is the best prevention, [along with] supervision, but people will know when you’ve got older kids and they’re playing with Lego, then the toddler’s going to be around it and it’s going to be really hard to stop that happening, so it is really about supervision.
“Follow the age recommendations on the toys – thinking about what are you buying, what are you bringing into the house?”
Above all, Dr Girardi wants people to be aware of the dangerous button batteries, which may be close at hand in other environments.
“Look out for those little button batteries, those shiny little round things that are in so many toys [and] hearing aids – because they cause horrendous damage if they are swallowed or put up the nose.
“[Be especially alert] when you’re visiting grandparents or friends; they may not have little kids around all the time. They may not have it at the front of their mind so you’ve got to be really vigilant when you go to someone else’s house.”
Listen to the full interview in the player above.
Feature Image: Canva Pro