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DEALING  WITH  FOREIGN  BODIES

 

Dirt, dust or other specks commonly become lodged in children's eyes, ears and noses, and babies especially may get something stuck in their throats. These sensitive organs need to be handled carefully.

 

• Your child will become distressed if a foreign body becomes lodged in her eye, ear or nose, so reassure her and try to keep her calm. If she has something in her eye it may be possible to remove it using the first-aid treatment shown overleaf, but do not attempt to remove an object from her nose or from her ear. 

Examine your child's eye to locate the foreign body. If it is under her eyelid, you may be able to clear it by lifting the upper eyelid over the lower one.

 

What not to do

 

Eye

      Don't attempt to:

• Remove anything that is embedded in the eyeball itself.
• Disturb or touch any piece of metal in the eye.
• Remove a foreign body that is in the iris and pupil ­the coloured area of the eye. 

Ear

     Don't attempt to:

• Remove any object from inside the ear.
• Try to dislodge an object or probe inside the ear, because you may pierce the eardrum. 

Nose

     Don't attempt to:

• Remove any object that is stuck up the nose. If it is pushed further up, it can block the throat and damage the delicate nasal lining. 

Seeking medical help

       Take your child to hospital if she:

• Has an object embedded in the white of her eye or in the iris or pupil?
• Has a foreign body stuck in her nose or ear. 

Call an ambulance if she:

• Is unconscious.
• Is choking, turning blue and becoming floppy. 

Swallowing an object

Babies and young children often put small objects into their mouths or talk while they are eating. There is a risk that they could accidentally swallow something that becomes stuck in their windpipe (trachea).

 

• When an object has been swallowed, the signs that the windpipe is blocked include difficulty in breathing, gurgling and blueness around the lips and face. Your child may also be clutching her throat (a baby may wave her limbs around), be unable to speak or cry and, possibly, become unconscious. 
• If your child is choking, give emergency first aid and call an ambulance. 
• If your child has swallowed an object but is not choking, don't make her vomit. Bringing the object back up could cause further damage. Seek medical help.

A foreign body in the eye

 

Position your baby or child so that you can see into her eye. You may need to hold her head still while you examine her.

 

Reassure your child and ask her to sit down. Separate her eyelids and ask her to look left, up and down. Examine all of her eye until you have located the foreign body. 

If the foreign body is visible, try rinsing it away using a small amount of clean tepid water. Tilt your child's head back and gently trickle water into her eye to wash away the debris. 

If it is not possible to remove the foreign body from the eye with water, try using a handkerchief or cloth. 

Dampen the corner of the handkerchief, then gently use it to wipe the offending object off the eye. 

First-aid tips

• Keep an eye irrigator and sterile eye solution in your first-aid kit.
• Make sure that your child does not rub the affected eye.
• Before giving first-aid treatment, ask your child to blink rapidly as this may be enough to dislodge the foreign body. Moistening the eye with eyewash may help.
• If the eye is still sore after removing the foreign body, seek medical help.
• When it is not possible to remove the foreign object, bandage lightly over both eyes and take your child to hospital. It is important to cover both eyes because movement of the good eye can cause movement of the injured eye. 

A foreign body in the ear

 

If your child complains of feeling      pain or vibrations inside her ear, she may have something stuck in it. Hearing may be impaired on the affected side.

 

• Take her to hospital
• Reassure your child 

A foreign body in the nose

 

It's all too common for a young child to try to push small objects, such as pebbles, marbles or sweets, up one or both nostrils. As a result, the nostrils may become blocked and swollen and sometimes start to bleed.

• Reassure your child.
• Take him to hospital.

For  More  Information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.