Parenting Tip #2 - How to Dislodge a Bead up the Nose

It's been a rough week here. Dearly Beloved has had a tough month with changes going on at work and recent test results saying he's got high cholesterol. Top this off with a missing wallet and let's just say it's been a little tense around here.

So imagine it's 5:30 p.m., (which is important to note since it's past normal doctor office hours) Superstar #1 runs down stairs laughing (yes, laughing) and yelling, "MOM, Sissy's got a bead stuck up her nose!"

I immediately turn off the stove and oven knowing Daddy might not get a home cooked meal tonight, and quickly walk upstairs to find Superstar #2 sitting sorrowfully on her bed. A look up her nose and no bead in sight meant a trip back downstairs for the otoscope and the subsequent realization that yes, it's up there good. Superstar #2 is sad but breathing just fine and seems to be in no imminent danger so I ask her to lie down on our bed while I make two phone calls.

The first is to Daddy, who had called about 10 minutes earlier to say he was on the way home.

"Ok, so it's not life-threatening ('cause you know that's where you gotta start to get their attention) but Superstar #2 has a bead up her nose and if we can't get this figured out we may have to visit the ER tonight."

I hear a heavy sigh at the other end of line. Translation: "Of course she does."

"I'm almost home," he said, and hung up the phone.

The second call was to my neighbor, Jen, who is a pediatric nurse. I went to voice mail so I reluctantly dialed the on-call doctor for our pediatrician's office and explained the situation.

His first words were, "There's a little trick for that..."

No sweeter six words could have been spoken to me at that moment, because "a little trick" meant we might not have to visit the ER tonight!

He continued, "If you plug the nostril on the opposite side of where the bead is stuck and then blow into her mouth, it should pop right out."

Grateful, I told him, "That sounds easy enough. If you hear from me again tonight, you'll know it didn't work, but if you don't hear from me again, I thank you in advance."

My husband walked in at that moment and I explained what the doctor said as we both walked over to Superstar #2 - who looks both worried and pathetic, but starts giggling nervously as we joke around about the impending "procedure."

I went first. Daughter of German nurse I'm always the first to jump into situations like this. Two unsuccessful attempts (lots more nervous laughter and a video cam) later, Daddy brings in the big lungs, I mean, big guns. All it takes is one blow and POP, out comes the bead. No, I will not be posting a video of the adventure.

So there you have it, a simple, non-evasive way to get a stuck bead out of a child's nose. Sure beats using a tweezer and holding their head still, and it definitely beats a visit to the ER or doctor's office.

My friend Jen, having seen my number come up on her phone called me back a short time later to make sure everything was ok. When I told her about the adventure, she said, "Yeah, we do that all the time in our offices. In fact, we had a kid in who had stuck a dime in their nose today." And so the procedure is even sanctioned and used in most pediatric offices. Who knew?

I do now, and so do you! So pass this along to your friends, it could save them a trip to the ER and maybe even a co-pay!