A 7 year old child presents with unilateral nasal obstruction with foul smelling nasal discharge. The diagnosis is-

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Foreign body o Unilateral foul smelling discharge in a child is pathognomic of a foreign body.Foreign body in noseo A nasal foreign body is anything that gets stuck inside the nose. Inanimate foreign body (object) is more common than animate foreign body. Common objects found in noses include food material (peas, beans, nuts), tissue paper, beads, toys and rocks. Animate foreign bodies are worms, larvae or maggots. Most cases of foreign bodies in the nose and nasal cavity are not serious and occur in toddlers and children from 1-8 years. Because children develop the ability to pick up objects at about the age of 9 months, this problem is much less common before 9 months of age.Clinical featureso Unilateral foul smelling discharge in a child is pathognomic of a foreign bodyo It can lead to vestibulitiso Pain or difficulty in breathing due to unilateral nasal obstructiono EpistaxisTreatmento Treatment includes removal with forceps or blunt hook under local anaesthesia