It had to happen. Six years, three kids, a gazillion Lego pieces. Sooner or later, one of those bits was going to go up someone’s nose. I’m only surprised it took so long. So, what do you do, if hooking it out with your little finger ain’t happening? How do you get a bit of Lego out of a kid’s nose?
Disclaimer: If you’re reading this because your child actually has got a piece of Lego up their nose right now, and you’re concerned about their breathing or anything else, please call your doctor / go to A&E depending on your level of concern. I’m not a doctor, this is an anecdote (though it does feature the medical advice we were given – which obviously worked!).
Oh, the irony: Lego figures don’t even have noses.
Step 1: Insertion
As with most child injuries and incidents, I didn’t see what happened. One minute my middle child was happily playing, the next he’s poking at his nose as he sits on the loo. “Do you need a tissue?” I asked. “No.” A few minutes later I notice he is still prodding at the outside of his nose. ‘Unusual’, I thought. ‘What’s occurring?’ I wondered. At the time, middlie was 2 3/4, on the cusp of middle-toddlerdom: an age where they begin to have some self-awareness. I think he thought that I’d be cross if he blurted out what had happened, bless his little Lego-filled nostrils. Eventually he said, “There’s something up my nose.” “What?” I said. “A bit of Lego.” “What?!” I took a look – sure enough, there was a single-nub dark grey bit of Lego at the top of the poor lad’s left nostril. “How did it get there?” “I put it up.” Goggling at him and also, trying not to panic, I had a little assessment. He was breathing fine, I didn’t think it could go any further up and he was not distressed.
Time for the pinky.
One of the hundreds of very cute things about kids is the teeniness of their ‘trils. Picking a baby’s bogey is one of the most satisfying, if gross, parts of motherhood. But this bit was not for the picking. There was no way my finger would fit up there, and my son’s own had obviously been ineffective, so I moved to step 2.
Step 2: Intervention
I called NHS Direct; they said call the doctor; my doctor said bring him in, then, when I said how old (young) he was, they said I had to go to the Urgent Care Clinic (like a mini A&E in our local mini-hospital). So I went, with both boys and my seven-month bump squirming as my nerves fed into the amniotic fluid. After a reassuringly long wait (so we weren’t urgent, then), we got called in.
“Ah yes,” said the lovely triage nurse. “This is an easy one. Pop him up on the bed.”
I did so, looking around for the magic suck-y machine to be wheeled in.
“You’re going to do this one, dear,” she said.
“Me?” I gulped.
“Yes. We just need to close the nostril without the Lego in, cover his mouth completely with your mouth, then blow quite hard and it’ll just pop out. It’s much better if you do it rather than one of us, dear.”
“Ah, great!” I said. “Got it!”
Step 3: Resolution – and a Tip
So, of course, I did what they said. The poor poppet looked slightly alarmed, but I reassured him and promised him lots more sweets. I’m surprised he didn’t get the giggles at my looming face – as I always do when I’m getting my eyes tested and the optician comes at me with his retina-seeking torchlight. I held the empty nostril shut, covered his mouth with mine and blew. Quite hard. Nothing. A bit more reassurance, then another swoop, this time with a sharper blow.
“Look, mummy!”
It was out! I was jubilant! Next stop Grey’s Anatomy!
Top Tip:
Should you ever have to perform this act, I would strongly advise keeping the confectionary bribe till after the operation – if you want to avoid a mouthful of chocolatey washback.
Everything Happens for A Reason, and Everything Is Awesome
They say that everything happens for a reason. A pretty facile phrase, I thought. Until a couple of weeks later, literally, I got a call from the school. My friend’s son needed to be brought home and his mum was delayed, could I come? I went. “He’s a bit distressed,” said the school nurse. “He’s got a stone stuck up his nose.”
You should have seen me! It was like on University Challenge, where there’s always one on the team that hasn’t said a word all programme, but then finally their subject comes up. “I know this! I know this one!” I almost shrieked.
I carried the poor pup home, explaining all the way what I was going to do, and how it wouldn’t hurt, just a quick ‘puff!’ and it would be gone. All the while he was getting more and more distressed, as you can imagine, when a lady he barely knew was proposing to kiss him on the lips. In fact, his body must have revolted so much at the idea that his nasal membranes bridled, because the next thing I knew, he was saying happily, “Look! It fell out!”
I don’t know which of us was more relieved.
So there you have it. A double win. Everything was awesome.*
*This is a quote from The Lego Movie. In case you didn’t know.
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Related Post: The Mummy Accident Form. Our kids come home with an accident form for the slightest scrape, but what about us? Where’s our George Clooney plaster and hug in a kindly nurse’s bosom?
Ha, this is very familiar – it was a baked bean in our house and the holding nostril/blowing in mouth thing didn’t work at A&E so we did get the sucky machine. They then wanted to give DS a sticker for being brave, and ignored my comment about how the stickers should be for doing something silly.
Ha ha! They do like to keep us on our toes, don’t they?
Important information, stored for future use.And very funny too. Great post, honey.x
Thank you my sweet! x
This happened to me as,a kid. I stuffed a piece of rolled up sellotape up my nose. I remember doctors crowding around me with a giant pair of tweezers. Terrifying. I’ve told mine the story many times – they’ve so far never decided to try it for themselves – phew!
Ha ha, that must have been a sticky situation (groan!). Excellent way to avert your kids from disaster!
That has been stored in the old memory bank for those very occassions. Lets face it, it’s one fo those inevitable moments of parenthood!
I know – it’s just so tempting for the little darlings!
What great information….lol Very handy to know!
Fab post x
Thank you! It’s about the only piece of advice I have 😉 x
Agreed this is vital info thanks so much for sharing 🙂 KNOW this will happen to me (them) in the future. Twas also very funny 😉 x
With your two boys it’s almost inevitable, I’m afraid! x
Useful info that I will remember! I really enjoyed your re-telling of the incident, too 😉
Thank you – always easier to make a joke of it after the event!
Thank you! It’s always funnier in hindsight 🙂
I am sorry I can’t stop laughing. Not a funny moment but when you referenced next stop Grey’s Anatomy I couldn’t help it. lol I love greys! I never thought that you could just blow in your kids mouth and pop. Good tip to have on hand! Thanks for joining in Share With Me blog hop. I really enjoyed reading this post as I do with all your post. Glad all is well and it’s out. Silly legos they get into such trouble. #sharewithme
Thanks Jenny – it is certainly funny in hindsight!
Well I never knew about the blowing trick!!!! I remember getting a conker lodged up my nose when I was younger – lost all memory of how it was removed though! X
A conker?! Oh my goodness! X
Love this post! Glad it worked out OK in the end. My Daughter once got a sugar puff stuck up her nose 🙂 x
Thank you! A sugar puff- ha ha! X
Oh dear, I loved this post! I have to say I was intrigued by the title… and was not disappointed! Great trick! Pinning! Mel
Thank you! It was a little anxiety-making at the time but makes a funny story!
wow what a great post. Is it wrong I had a smirk on my face? It does sound a bit funny (once the lego was out). It is a story you can retell in years to come-maybe at 18ths or 21sts hehe. We had a similar incident with a pea.
Lovely post 🙂
Ah, thank you! Definitely one to bring up at his 18th! 🙂
Great post – funny AND informative! I had no idea that was the best way to remove stuff from kids noses. Have yet to have such an incident but we have lego a-plenty here so it’s quite possibly only a matter of time! Oh and you’ve now set me off singing ‘everything is awesome’ again which i had stuck in my head for days last time!
I have NOT stopped singing that song since half term. I kind of like its positive vibe but six weeks is enough already!
I have never had this situation but handy to know what to do! Not sure if I should be worried that I came across this post the day before I head off to Legoland Discovery Centre though…… #sharewithme
Ha ha, I hope you didn’t have any nasal issues on your day out!
Funny and been there too, small crayon though!
They’re nothing if not inventive!
Haha, been here too – ours was a craft pompom, shoved up very high with the aid of a pencil! I’ve had years of opportunity to share that story to freak out non-parents! #pocolo
Oh my goodness! That sounds horrendous!
Haha, this made me laugh out loud! Definitely a technique to store away in my brain for future use 😉
Thanks Zoe, it’s so nice to hear I’ve made someone laugh! Just hope you don’t need to perform the technique!
Ha ha I am waiting for this to happen. Storing this knowledge away safely. I don’t remember sticking anything up my nose but I do recall swallowing one of my mum’s necklaces….
Hahaha! That is hilarious! Did it come out in the, er, wash??x
Brilliant anecdote on a rather scary situation. Thankfully Grace has never done this. When I have another, I am certain they probably will! Thank you for linking to PoCoLo x
Thanks Victoria! Lovely that you’re thinking of another – hope he or she’s not a nose enthusiast!x
It was a raisin here, and I blogged about it too! I used the wedge toddler between your knees and feet to keep their head still and pin then down with your elbow and extract with tweezers. Blowing it out would probably have been simpler, great tip!
Oh nooo, that does not sound nice at all! I guess it depends on the depth of insertion. Shudder!
Oh, I wait in vain for that elusive moment of Lego pokage-uppage-the-nosage. It gives me ‘the fear’!
It’s coming. It’s just a matter of time. Law of averages and all that!
Win win you knew what to do! Lol! I apparently dared my brother to stick lego up my nose many moons ago. I ended up at the local Naval hospital much to everyone’s hilarity! Hence to say they did not get it out like you did your sons!
Thanks so much! Glad I can offer advice on the more random areas of parenting! x
Thanks for featuring me in this fab list! x
My youngest just stuck a tiny lego way up her nose- upon googling, I found your post, tried it, and it worked immediately. Thank you, from a very panicked mum!
Oh my goodness, I’m so happy to help! I hope she’s ok! x
Thank the Pope! Just googled ‘how to get Lego out of your nose’ and found this blog post! After calming myself and my 3 year old girl down, we told her that mommy was going to give her a kiss (and with that I blew the piece of Lego out of her nose)! Thank you! 🙂
Oh phew, glad I could help! Really glad it worked and hope she wasn’t too traumatised – and learnt her lesson about where not to try and fit Lego!