Have a pediatric patient with something “stuck in their nose” presenting to your office? No fears, this is usually easily treated with very little intervention on your part.

Removing a foreign body from a child’s nose might sound anxiety producing, but try this simple step first before reaching for those alligator forceps:

Have the mother or trusted caregiver place a tight seal around the child’s mouth with their own mouth (like you are giving CPR essentially) and use a finger to close the nostril without the foreign body. Have the mother blow into the child’s mouth and watch the foreign body shoot out of the nostril!

I have done this dozens of times and it works like a charm. If it doesn’t work though, be prepared to remove the foreign body with an instrument of your choosing.