Your kids may have acted a little naughty and decided to put a tiny Lego up their noses, or ears even. Or you may have heard of the incident where a child had a small object stuck in her nose and it was there for a long while that a weird smell started coming from it.
This is actually part of a social development or also known as oral phase. This usually happens to toddlers aged one to four years old.
It is a normal behaviour and a common phenomenon for toddlers to pick up random things and put them in their mouths or up their noses or ears.
Let us put it in context. When kids start mouthing - a term used to describe the activity where toddlers pick up random things and put them in their mouths - the taste of things are not only being explored by the tongue, but also the lips and teeth.
This happens when kids reach a certain age where they start to explore their surroundings using their sensory organs. Do not worry about it, Mums. It is part of a learning process.
While this is a common behaviour, parents should always monitor their children's surrounding and be aware of the kinds of toys they play with and potentially dangerous objects that are within their reach. What is concerning is when they start picking up sharp objects or medicine.
What parents need to know about oral phase:
Be alert that this is a normal phase for toddlers aged 1 to 4
Ensure the kids' surroundings are clean from tiny, foreign objects at all times (especially the floor, couches, carpets etc)
Talk to them about the danger of putting small objects into their mouths, ears, noses
If this activity goes out of hand, though, and one of those foreign objects was stuck in their cavities, surgical intervention by doctors and specialists may be needed.
However, what do we do when our kids have passed the supposed age for the oral phase but this behaviour remains unchanged?
If it prolongs once they reach over the age of 4, it show that your kids may have an issue of development delay. It would be best for parents to bring their children to see a Paediatric specialist.
Give us a call at 0389661133 to book an appointment with one of our Consultant Paediatrics or set your date here https://www.andorracare.com/appointment-booking.