UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Pediatrics

Title: Nasal foreign body removal

Posted: 12/15/2012 by Mimi Lu, MD (Emailed: 12/21/2012) (Updated: 12/21/2012)
Click here to contact Mimi Lu, MD

Parents bring in their child who placed a bead, seed, or other object up her nose.  What do you do?  Who should you call?

Research suggests that a decades-old home remedy (of sorts) known as the “mother’s kiss” may do the trick for children 1-8 years of age. It’s also much less invasive or frightening than some of the tools and techniques used in emergency departments with a success rate approaching 60%

What Is the “Mother’s Kiss”?

First described in 1965, here’s how the mother’s kiss technique works:

  • The parent or caretaker places their mouth over their child’s mouth while holding the unaffected nostril closed with one finger.
  • The parent or caretaker blows into the child’s mouth.
  • The forceful breath may force the object out (warning: may want to wear protective covering as other things have been known to fly out as well!)

 

Reference:
Cook S, Burton M, Glasziou P. Efficacy and safety of the "mother's kiss" technique: a systematic review of case reports and case series. CMAJ.2012 Nov 20;184(17):E904-12. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.111864. Epub 2012 Oct 15.