Sometimes, when a young child puts something in their nose, it can get stuck. The health care provider used a special light to see the object in your child's nose but couldn't remove it. Your child needs to see an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat [ENT] doctor), who can remove it with special tools and a magnifier. If the nose looks infected, the health care provider gave your child antibiotics.

Here's how to care for your child at home until the ENT doctor can remove the object.

• Schedule a visit with the ENT doctor to have the object removed. 
• Carefully follow the instructions from the ENT doctor about when your child should stop eating and drinking before the visit.
• Don't try to remove the object yourself (even if you can see it).
• Don't clean the inside of your child's nose.
• If your child has pain and your health care provider says it's OK, you can give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol^® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (such as Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand). Follow the directions on the label for how much to give and how often. Don't give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.

If a nosebleed happens:

1. Stay calm and comfort your child.
2. Have your child sit up and tilt the head slightly forward to keep blood from running down the back of the throat. It may help to have your child lean over a sink or pail to catch the blood. Don't put tissues or anything else inside the nose to catch the blood.
3. Have your child pinch the bottom, soft part of the nose together using their index finger and thumb. They should hold it without stopping for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, check for bleeding. If the nose is still bleeding, pinch the nose closed for another 10 minutes.

Your child:

• is taking pain medicines but still has pain
• gets new or worse symptoms, such as fever, drainage from the nose, face pain, or a headache
• has bleeding from the nose after pinching it closed twice for 10 minutes each time (as described above)
• puts an object in their nose again

Can an object in the nose be dangerous? Yes, some objects can be dangerous. For example, button cell batteries (round flat batteries used in watches, toys, remote controls, and other devices) can cause burns inside the nose. Also, magnets put in the nose can pull toward each other, squeezing and causing damage to the part of the nose between the nostrils (the septum). An object in the nose also can get sucked in and go down the throat, possibly causing choking.

How can an object in the nose cause an infection? An object stuck in the nose (especially for a long time) can cause irritation that then gets infected. An infection in this part of the nose sometimes can move up into the sinuses (small hollow areas in the bones of the face) and other areas. If an infection happens, health care providers prescribe antibiotics to treat it.

How can I prevent my child from putting something in their nose again? Keep small objects (such as batteries, magnets, beads, earrings, crayons, and small toy parts) out of the reach of children. Tell your child that they should never put objects in their nose, ears, or any other body opening because they can get stuck. Adults should watch kids when they're around small objects at home, daycare, and preschool.