Children sometimes place a foreign body, such as clay, beads or small toys inside their nose. When this occurs, the object needs to be removed.

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What are the signs and symptoms of a foreign body in the nose?

Symptoms may include:

  • Drainage from one side of the nose that may have a bad odor
  • Bloody nose

What causes a foreign body in the nose?

In most cases, children place the object in the nose themselves. An object may also get stuck inside the nose when a child tries to smell it. Common objects found in the nose include:

  • Beads
  • Buttons
  • Paper
  • Food
  • Pebbles
  • Candle wax

How is a foreign body in the nose treated?

A doctor will remove the object from the nose using one of the following techniques:

  • Pulling the object out with an instrument such as tweezers or forceps
  • Using suction to remove the object
  • Having the child blow their nose or having a parent or caregiver blow into their child’s mouth while the unaffected nostril is blocked to dislodge the object

Once the object is removed, the doctor will assess the nose, for any damage or infection. If there is an infection, the doctor may prescribe nose drops or antibiotics.

Doctors at Connecticut Children’s can determine the right plan if your child requires treatment for a foreign object in their nose.