Is It Stuck? 5 Common Foreign Body Reaction Symptoms in Children

girl pointing to pain in ear

Do you constantly catch your young children with small items they shouldn’t have? Then you’re certainly not alone. Luckily you catch what they have before they do anything dangerous with it-at least, that’s the hope.

Children often stick things where they shouldn’t go, whether that’s in their eyes, ears, nose or elsewhere. So how do you know if something’s stuck in there?

Since children are curious, it’s important to know the signs of something being where it shouldn’t. To help grow your awareness, read up on these five common foreign body reaction symptoms.

1. Change in Hearing

Has your child stopped listening to you? While this probably isn’t too foreign of a thing, you should be able to notice if it gets worse.

If it seems like your child really can’t hear you, he may have something stuck in his ear. If you suspect something, ask the child if he can hear you as well. If he can’t, he might have something stuck in his ear.

2. Eye Irritation

If something gets in your eye, it really isn’t pleasant. If your child starts to rub their eyes, definitely pay attention. While this may just be a sign that she’s tired, it may also be a sign that something else is going on.

Irritation is a common sign that something is in your child’s eye. If it seems like something is there and you aren’t able to see it, get some expert help to remove the item.

3. Breathing Problems

If your child stuck something up his nose, he may have a harder time breathing. This is due to the item blocking the nostril where it’s sitting.

If you suspect something may be stuck in your child’s nose, listen to the sound his nose is making. Any whistling-type noises could confirm your suspicions.

Items stuck in noses can cause damage quickly, so make sure you get this issue addressed as quickly as possible.

4. Pain

Your child may, at times, get tiny things stuck in their skin. This is usually in the form of some kind of sliver.

While you may automatically think of a tiny piece of wood, slivers can come from many types of materials. These include wood, glass, metal, and plastic.

If the sliver is large or deep enough, they won’t feel very good. If your child is complaining of pain in a certain area of their skin, they may have something stuck there.

5. Drainage from Nasal Passages

Nasal drainage is another sign that your child may have something stuck in her nose. This drainage could be several different colors.

If you suspect your child’s nasal drainage isn’t because she’s sick, get her checked out to make sure something isn’t stuck in there.

Watch for These Foreign Body Reaction Symptoms

Our bodies are pretty smart, so they’ll tell us when something strange has happened. Because of this, you should watch for these foreign body reaction symptoms.

Knowing these symptoms will help you keep your child safe. When foreign objects enter your child’s body, act quickly. The sooner the object is removed, the better.

If you suspect your child has a foreign object in their body, give Thibodaux Regional Urgent Care – Thibodaux a call. We’ll get him the help he needs.