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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not take DS(7) to A&E because he has a foil confetti star stuck up his nose

91 replies

dougierose · 07/03/2015 22:00

Yesterday I heard DS snorting and blowing his nose. It transpired that he had shoved a foil star (from a confetti bomb) up his nose. Actually, it didn't go up far enough the first time, so he pulled it out and then gave it a right shove, then discovered that he could't get it out.

Last night he said that he could mildly feel the star, then this morning he said that he couldn't feel it at all. I think it might have worked its way down his nasal passage and hopefully will have gone into his stomach with the expected result.

I've asked friends what to do and there's been a mixed response between trying to tweeze it out (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO), trying to make him sneeze - and then right up to taking him to A&E.

He can breathe, eat, swallow, talk moan as usual so he's obviously feeling OK. However I've also been told by a medic that if it hasn't come out within a day or so then I SHOULD take him to A&E.....

Apart from the 4 hour wait, I don't want to clog up A&E with something fairly minor - but then again, the foil star has quite sharp edges and it might scratch something internally on its way through...

What do you think?

PS this is true, not a joke/troll post.

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 07/03/2015 22:02

I would take him if a medic advised it

Mrsantithetic · 07/03/2015 22:03

I shoved a crispy chip up mine when I was about 5 because I wasn't allowed my kinder egg until I had a clean plate.

I think it's still up there.

GuendalinaCatEyes · 07/03/2015 22:03

I don't know what it looks like and how big/Sharp it is but basically if he can't feel it in his nose chances are it's gone down and will be expelled soon

balletgirlmum · 07/03/2015 22:04

You should take him to the Drs.

Dd had something stuck up her nose, we didn't know about it just thought she was coming down with a cold. Then it started to smell as it was becoming infected.

The Dr couldn't remove it so she had to be admitted & have it removed under GA

Astrid28 · 07/03/2015 22:04

That sounds painful. I'd definitely take him to get it removed. I know it could be a long wait, but they often fast track children if possible so it might not be so bad.

Original poster
dougierose · 07/03/2015 22:06

It's smaller than my little fingernail, but is quite sharp. These stars have kept appearing since New Year's Eve - if I stand on one in bare feet then it's sharp enough to make me swear.

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 07/03/2015 22:06

Have you had a look how far it's up to see whether you could reach it with tweezers?

Because that'd be the easiest way to solve it I suppose. It's what I had to get an unpopped popcorn out that DD2 had shoved up her nose when she was 18 months old, it was a bit hairy for a second to try and keep her still while I operated, but the relief afterwards was amazing Grin

If it stayed up there it'd start an infection wouldn't it?

I used to be able to get the butterfly off a pin I had through my nose to the back of my nose/throat and out through my mouth, so it's possible it could come out on its own.

How old is your DS?

AgentZigzag · 07/03/2015 22:07

Sorry, just seen his age in the title [duh]

huhpuh · 07/03/2015 22:09

It might be something your practice nurse can get out or do you have a Minor Injuries Unit (or similar) close by? I agree it's not really an A&E issue but you might want to get it looked at in case it leads to an infection.

ThreeQuartersEmpty · 07/03/2015 22:10

How old is he?
You'll smell it when it causes an infection, by which time it will require an operation to remove it.

ThreeQuartersEmpty · 07/03/2015 22:14

Oh yes he's 7 sorry Grin

AgentZigzag · 07/03/2015 22:16

Not just me then ThreeQuarters Grin

I think I subconsciously read it as OP's 7th DC.

Original poster
dougierose · 07/03/2015 22:16

Hmn, yes, we have a minor injuries unit about 15 mins away. I'll take him on Monday for them to have a look at. I can't see the star up his nose at all, so he's rammed it up really far Shock

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 07/03/2015 22:20

I suppose the only worry is that if it's sharp it'll damage any sensitive smell membranes (?) up there?

Surely that'd hurt though and he'd be kicking up a fuss if it was?

I reckon it'd be fine waiting until Monday, unless anything changes.

mrsfuzzy · 07/03/2015 22:22

as far as it being passed, how would you know ?? time for the marigolds i guess !! seriously though, i think i would want to get it checked, as an ex nurse, i always take the attitude, better safe than sorry, don't worry about wasting anyones time, if it is of concern enough for you to ask on mn then you know what you need to do. it is an incredibly common situation, you wouldn't believe some of the things that people shove in their orifices and just not up their noses either !

rocket74 · 07/03/2015 22:22

My friend got one stuck in her throat at her 40th birthday dinner and she couldn't breathe and felt like she was going to die on her birthday because of a stupid fucking star (her words). Worse still she hates a scene so had ran to the loo and locked herself in. Luckily her OH went to check and luckily she had managed to dislodge it. Sorry to be a killjoy but I would now worry about what happens if it gets stuck. Hers might have been a bigger star?

howtodrainyourflagon · 07/03/2015 22:25

When you take a child to A&E with something up their nose, they get you to pinch the other nostril and blow into their mouth sharply.

Agentzigzag I'd like to bleach that stuff about the butterfly from my brain but I can't stop visualising the bogey-covered butterfly appearing in the back of your throat

Longdistance · 07/03/2015 22:29

Dd has twice stuck something up her nose.

First time it was a rotten pea

Second time it was a piece of sponge.

Both times, she has gone under anaesthetic to have both removed. Both times, under her nose, it became red and sore.

Take him to the gp, hopefully they will refer you to the ENT. My dd couldnt feel anything either, but my betting is the star is poking him, and he's too embarrassed to say so.

hopingforamiracle · 07/03/2015 22:43

Why on earth would a 7 year old shove something up his nose? I can understand a 3 or 4 year old doing it but SEVEN?! That's Darwin at work right there.

Original poster
dougierose · 07/03/2015 22:45

Not once, but twice, hoping...... that's the male species for you..

Oh dear, I'm a bit worried now. I was laughing too much yesterday to take it seriously, but I think I'd better get him looked at. Sad

OP posts:
Dumpylump · 07/03/2015 22:48

I call still remember being held down by my mum and a nurse, while a doctor extracted the bead I had shoved up my nose because my cousin had dared me to do it.
That would be over forty years ago!

AgentZigzag · 07/03/2015 22:52

Soz Flagon Grin

If it makes it any easier for you to stomach my mucus was sterile in those days, on account of the amount of alcohol in my bloodstream.

zzzzz · 07/03/2015 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CountryPlumpkin · 07/03/2015 22:54

My DH is a surgical consultant and he says "it needs to come out - go to A&E first thing tomorrow morning (8am) to avoid the queues".

He also said something about a fibre optic telescope to fish it out, possibly under general anaesthetic. Depends how far up there it is.

Hope this helps! My DS is nearly
7 and this is exactly the kind of thing he would do. Bless them.

Good luck x

Princessdeb · 07/03/2015 22:54

Dear OP,
I would be worried about two things. Firstly it remaining in the nasal cavity and potentially causing an infection. Less likely but potentially more serious is if the star has not gone into his stomach but has gone into his lung. If it is small he may not exhibit any symptoms. Although unlikely to cause any immediate problems if it has got in the the lungs the infection it could cause could be very serious. If he is not symptomatic I don't think he needs to go anywhere tonight but I would want him checked out. I am a HCP who used to work in heart and lung surgery.

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