Child Put Something in Their Nose or Ear: A Parent’s Guide for London & Essex It can happen in seconds. A toddler is playing with beads, a small toy, a pea, a piece of tissue, a rubber, a seed, a button battery or a magnet. Suddenly, they say something feels funny — or you notice a blocked nostril, ear discomfort, crying, discharge or a bad smell. For many parents, the first instinct is to try to pull it out. That is understandable, but it can sometimes make things worse. If your child has something stuck firmly in their nose or ear, it is usually safer not to poke around at home. Attempts with tweezers, cotton buds, hair clips or fingers may push the object deeper, cause bleeding, damage the ear canal or make removal more difficult. Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon, assesses children with ear, nose and throat concerns from London, East London, Brentwood, Romford, Ilford, Redbridge, Chelmsford and wider Essex. This guide explains what parents should do, what to avoid,...
Can You See Grommets in the Ear? London ENT Guide If you've recently had grommets fitted — or your child has — it's natural to want to look in the ear afterwards and check that "it's still there." Many patients in London, East London, Brentwood and across Essex ask their GP or ENT clinic some version of the same question: can you actually see a grommet in the ear? Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon , is frequently asked this in clinic, and the honest answer is: usually not much, and that is completely normal. What is a grommet? A grommet, also known as a tympanostomy tube or ventilation tube, is a tiny tube inserted into the eardrum (tympanic membrane) during a short surgical procedure called a myringotomy. Its job is to allow air into the middle ear and let trapped fluid drain, helping to correct hearing loss caused by conditions such as otitis media with effusion (commonly known as glue ear) or recurrent ear infections. Although grommets are most often...