My Child Has Ear Discharge After Grommets — Is This Normal? A Parent’s Guide Your child had grommets inserted to help with glue ear or recurrent middle-ear problems. Their hearing may have improved. They returned to nursery or school. Everything seemed settled. Then one morning you notice: fluid coming from the ear. Perhaps there is a small mark on the pillow. Perhaps the ear looks wet. Sometimes the discharge is yellow or sticky; occasionally parents notice an unpleasant smell. The immediate question is usually: “Has something gone wrong with the grommet?” The reassuring answer is that ear discharge in a child with grommets is a recognised problem and is often treatable. A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained fluid shortly after the operation can occur. University Hospitals Sussex's children's grommet guidance , reviewed 18 June 2026 , describes slight clear discharge during the first day or so as something that can happen after surgery. Discharge that persists, de...
Why Does My Child Have a Smelly Discharge From One Nostril? A Parent’s Guide
A runny nose is almost part of childhood.
Young children can have repeated colds, allergies and nasal congestion—particularly after starting nursery or school.
But there is one pattern that parents should recognise:
discharge that repeatedly comes from only one nostril, particularly when it develops an unpleasant smell.
Parents sometimes describe it as:
“My child has had a runny nose for weeks, but only on the left.”
“The mucus from one nostril smells terrible.”
“There seems to be something inside the nose.”
Occasionally there may also be spotting of blood.
In a young child, one important possibility is a nasal foreign body—a small object that has been pushed into the nose.
This is more common than many parents realise, and nobody necessarily sees it happen. NHS ENT referral guidance specifically notes that carers may not have witnessed insertion and that a nasal foreign body may instead become apparent because of recurrent one-sided discharge.
Most nasal foreign bodies can be removed safely.
However, button batteries are different and require immediate emergency assessment because they can rapidly damage nasal tissue.
Here is what parents should know.
Why do children put things into their noses?
Young children investigate the world by touching, tasting and experimenting.
The nostril is unfortunately just the right size for many small objects.
Common examples include:
- beads
- small toy pieces
- paper
- tissue
- foam
- peas
- beans
- small pieces of food
- pencil or crayon fragments.
Sometimes a child tells their parent immediately.
Sometimes they become frightened after inserting the object and say nothing.
And sometimes the child is simply too young to explain what happened.
Days or even weeks can therefore pass before the problem becomes obvious.
Why does a foreign object make the nose smell?
The nose produces mucus continuously.
When something blocks one nasal passage, mucus may become trapped around it.
The surrounding lining becomes irritated and inflamed. Bacteria can then contribute to increasingly thick and unpleasant-smelling discharge.
Organic material such as a pea or bean can absorb moisture and swell, producing more inflammation.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde guidance specifically advises urgent removal of organic foreign bodies because they can provoke inflammation and become more difficult to remove if left in place.
This is why the pattern often progresses from:
object inserted → blockage → discharge → unpleasant smell.
Why does the discharge usually affect only one nostril?
A cold or allergy usually affects the nasal lining on both sides, even if one side sometimes feels more blocked.
A foreign body, by contrast, physically sits within one nasal passage.
That makes persistent unilateral symptoms an important clue.
Alder Hey Children's Hospital similarly identifies a foreign body as a possible cause of childhood nasal symptoms, particularly where discharge accompanies nosebleeds.
One-sided discharge does not prove that something is present, but it should prompt consideration of the possibility.
What other symptoms might parents notice?
Depending on the object and how long it has been present, a child may develop:
- blocked breathing through one nostril
- yellow or green discharge
- unpleasant smell
- crusting
- occasional nosebleeds
- irritation around the nostril
- repeated nose picking
- discomfort
- bad breath.
Sometimes the child has remarkably few symptoms.
A child may continue playing, eating and sleeping normally while an object remains hidden deeper inside the nose.
Could it just be a cold?
Yes—but the pattern matters.
Colds commonly produce:
- runny nose
- cough
- sneezing
- congestion
- symptoms affecting both sides.
NHS information also recognises viral infections, allergic rhinitis and nasal foreign bodies as possible contributors to childhood nasal symptoms.
If symptoms are improving over several days and both nostrils are affected, a viral infection is more likely.
If one nostril remains persistently smelly or discharging while the child otherwise seems well, consider a foreign body.
Could sinusitis cause smelly nasal discharge?
Sinusitis can cause thick yellow or green nasal mucus, facial discomfort, blocked nose, cough and sometimes bad breath.
NHS describes sinusitis as commonly following a cold or flu and notes that younger children may become irritable, have feeding difficulty or mouth breathe.
However, sinusitis usually produces a broader cluster of nasal symptoms.
A persistent, strongly one-sided pattern in a young child should still make clinicians consider whether something is lodged inside the nose.
What about allergic rhinitis?
Allergy commonly causes:
- sneezing
- clear runny nose
- nasal itching
- congestion
- itchy or watery eyes.
Allergic rhinitis may make one side feel worse temporarily, but persistent foul-smelling discharge from one nostril is not a typical allergy pattern.
Do not assume prolonged one-sided smelly discharge is simply hay fever.
Should I look inside my child’s nose?
You can gently look at the nostril entrance in good light.
Do not force the nostril open or insert anything.
If an object is clearly visible, resist the temptation to start probing it.
The visible edge may not show:
- how deeply it extends
- its shape
- whether it is tightly wedged
- whether another object is also present.
Attempts to remove it can push the object further back.
Should I use tweezers?
Not unless specifically instructed by an appropriate healthcare professional.
Repeated attempts with tweezers or other instruments can:
- push the object deeper
- cause bleeding
- injure the nasal lining
- frighten the child
- make subsequent removal more difficult.
Do not insert cotton buds, hairpins, forceps or other household objects.
A calm first attempt by someone experienced in paediatric foreign-body removal is often preferable to several unsuccessful attempts.
Should I make my child sniff hard?
No.
Encouraging forceful sniffing can potentially draw the object further backwards.
Likewise, repeatedly asking a young child to blow forcefully may not be effective and can cause distress.
Recognised positive-pressure techniques exist for selected uncomplicated nasal foreign bodies, but whether they are appropriate depends on the object and circumstances.
If you do not know what the object is—particularly if there is any possibility of a battery—seek medical assessment rather than experimenting at home.
Why are button batteries so different?
This is the most important safety message in this article.
Small coin or button batteries are found in:
- hearing aids
- key fobs
- remote controls
- electronic toys
- calculators
- watches
- small household devices.
When a battery becomes lodged against moist tissue, it can cause rapid chemical and electrical injury.
UCLH guidance updated 2 March 2026 warns that babies and children can suffer serious injury if coin or button batteries are inserted into the nose or ear and advises parents to act immediately if this is suspected.
Guy's and St Thomas' similarly advises going to the nearest A&E if someone is suspected of inserting a battery into their nose or ear.
If you think your child has put a button battery into their nose:
Go to A&E immediately.
Do not wait for symptoms.
Do not wait to see whether discharge develops.
Do not book a routine GP or ENT appointment.
Do not repeatedly try to remove it at home.
What about magnets?
Magnets are particularly dangerous when swallowed, especially if more than one is involved, because they can attract each other through bowel walls.
A magnet lodged in the nose also needs medical assessment rather than repeated home manipulation.
If you're unsure whether the child has inserted, swallowed, or inhaled a small magnet or battery, tell the emergency team exactly what may be missing.
How does ENT remove an object from the nose?
Removal depends on:
- the child's age
- the type of object
- its position
- how tightly it is lodged
- previous removal attempts
- how cooperative the child can safely be.
Possible methods include specialist instruments, suction or other controlled techniques.
Some children can have the object removed while awake.
Others—particularly very young children, children who are extremely distressed, or those with a deeply impacted object—may require removal under sedation or general anaesthesia.
Current NHS paediatric information from the Northern Care Alliance explains that anaesthesia may be required if removal is not successful in clinic or A&E.
Does my child need an X-ray?
Usually not for an obvious ordinary nasal foreign body.
Many objects, particularly plastic, foam, paper or food, may not show clearly on an X-ray anyway.
Imaging may be considered in selected circumstances—for example, when the nature or location of an object is uncertain or when a battery or another radiopaque object is suspected.
The examination and history usually guide the next step.
What if the object has been there for weeks?
Do not feel guilty if you did not notice.
It is entirely possible for nobody to witness the insertion.
A young child may have no significant pain and may not explain what happened.
The clue may emerge only when discharge becomes persistent or starts to smell.
The important step is arranging assessment once the pattern becomes apparent.
Will antibiotics fix it?
Antibiotics may occasionally be appropriate if there is associated infection, but medication cannot solve the problem if a foreign body remains inside the nose.
The object needs to be identified and, when present, removed appropriately.
Repeated courses of antibiotics without explaining persistent one-sided discharge can delay the correct diagnosis.
What happens after removal?
Many children improve quickly once the object has been removed.
There may temporarily be:
- minor irritation
- small amounts of blood-stained mucus
- residual discharge.
Current NHS information on paediatric foreign-body removal notes that some minor oozing may occur if an object has been present for a long time and usually settles.
Further treatment depends on what the nasal lining looks like after removal.
Red flags: when should parents seek urgent help?
Go to A&E immediately if you suspect a button battery in the nose.
This applies even if your child looks completely well.
Seek urgent medical assessment if there is:
- significant breathing difficulty
- severe or persistent bleeding
- marked nasal or facial swelling
- severe increasing pain
- a child who becomes significantly unwell
- concern that the object has moved backwards and been inhaled
- choking or sudden persistent coughing after the object disappears.
Call 999 if your child is choking, struggling significantly to breathe, turns blue/grey, collapses or becomes unresponsive.
When should a child with one-sided nasal discharge see ENT?
Arrange assessment when there is:
- persistent discharge from one nostril
- foul or unusual smell
- repeated bleeding from the same nostril
- suspected object in the nose
- persistent unilateral blockage
- unsuccessful previous removal
- uncertainty about what was inserted.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's current ENT guidance recommends immediate emergency ENT review for suspected nasal button batteries and timely urgent ENT review for other nasal foreign bodies.
Paediatric nasal assessment in London and Essex
Persistent one-sided nasal discharge in a young child should not automatically be labelled another cold.
Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon, assesses children with persistent nasal obstruction, recurrent nasal discharge, suspected nasal foreign bodies and other paediatric ENT concerns from London, East London, Romford, Ilford, Redbridge, Brentwood, Chelmsford and surrounding areas of Essex.
The aim is to identify the underlying cause while avoiding unnecessary or repeated traumatic attempts at nasal examination or removal.
The key message for parents
A persistently smelly discharge from only one nostril is an important clue in a young child.
It may simply represent local inflammation, but consider a nasal foreign body even if no one saw the child put anything into their nose.
Avoid repeatedly probing the nose at home.
And remember the exception that should never wait:
If a button battery may be inside the nose, go to A&E immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Why does only one of my child's nostrils smell?
Persistent one-sided foul-smelling discharge can occur when an object is lodged in the nasal passage and becomes surrounded by mucus and inflammation.
Can something be stuck in my child's nose without them telling me?
Yes. The insertion may be unwitnessed, particularly in younger children.
Should I try to remove a bead with tweezers?
Avoid repeated instrument attempts at home, as they can push the object deeper or cause bleeding.
Does green nasal mucus mean there is an object inside?
No. Viral infections and sinusitis can also produce coloured mucus. Persistent one-sided discharge and an unpleasant smell are more suggestive of a foreign body.
Can a foreign body cause nosebleeds?
Yes. Irritation of the nasal lining can cause intermittent blood-stained discharge or nosebleeds. NHS childhood nosebleed guidance includes nasal foreign bodies as a possible cause.
What if my child put a button battery in their nose?
Go to A&E immediately. Button batteries can rapidly damage nasal tissue and should be treated as an ENT emergency.
Will my child need a general anaesthetic?
Often not. Many objects can be removed while a child is awake, but anaesthesia may occasionally be necessary when an object is difficult to remove or the child cannot safely tolerate the procedure.
When should smelly one-sided discharge be checked?
Persistent unilateral discharge, especially with smell, bleeding or blockage, deserves medical assessment rather than repeated treatment as a routine cold.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for general educational and regional SEO purposes only and does not replace personalised clinical advice. For a definitive structural evaluation, you need a face-to-face consultation with a registered specialist.
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