Dra. Angélica Paulos 

Children frequently insert objects into different body openings. Some may be stuck for weeks, leading to local infection and damage to adjacent tissues.

Nasal foreign bodies produce symptoms that can be confused with sinusitis by presenting a foul-smelling runny nose. Ingestion of a foreign body can lead to increased salivation, cough, and constant swallowing if it is stuck in the esophagus. Most esophageal foreign bodies pass into the stomach and should only be removed if they have a sharp point, are magnets (more than one) or batteries, since the other foreign bodies can moved though the intestine to the anus in a couple of weeks. Aspiration of the foreign body into the airway can occlude a bronchus and present as repeat pneumonia in the same lung.

We must pay special attention to button batteries, which, being found in many toys, can be manipulated by children. These batteries do a local burn with disastrous damage to the local tissue.

In the suspicion of a foreign body, it should be studied and removed.