Foreign bodies of the ears and nose in childhood

The epidemiology and management aspects of 212 consecutive cases of foreign bodies of the ears and nose in children presenting to an urban pediatric walk-in and emergency care facility were retrospectively reviewed. The items most commonly removed from children’s external auditory canals were roaches, paper wads, toy parts, earring parts, hair beads, eraser tips, and food. Foreign bodies most often found in the nose included hair beads, toy parts, paper wads, and food. Approximately 90% of all foreign bodies were able to be removed without significant complications by emergency department personnel with simple equipment. Those who required referral for otorhinolaryngologic intervention had more often failed at self or parental home foreign body removal attempts than those who were able to be managed successfully by emergency department personnel. Parents should be cautioned against attempting to remove objects not readily visible or not capable of being grasped easily.