Foreign bodies in the ear
Foreign bodies in the ear canal can be anything a child can push into his/her ear. Some of the items that are commonly found in the ear canal include the following:
- Food
- Insects
- Toys
- Buttons or beads
- Pieces of crayon
- Small batteries
- Q-tip heads broken off in the ear canal
It is important for parents to be aware that children may cause themselves or other children harm by placing objects in the ear.
The reason children place things in their ears is usually because they are bored, curious, or copying other children. Sometimes, one child may put an object in another child's ear during play. Insects may also crawl into the ear canal.
Symptoms of foreign bodies in the ear
Some objects placed in the ear may not cause symptoms, while other objects, such as food and insects, may cause pain in the ear, redness, or drainage. Small batteries corrode and cause severe irritation of the ear canal. Hearing may be affected if the object is blocking the ear canal.
Treatment
The treatment for foreign bodies in the ear is prompt removal of the object by your child's physician. If the object is difficult to remove or deep within the ear canal, your doctor will refer you to an ear specialist (otolaryngologist or ENT).
After removal of the object, your child's physician will then re-examine the ear to determine if there has been any injury to the ear canal or tympanic membrane perforation. Antibiotic drops may be prescribed to treat infection.