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Kids Sticking Objects in Ears and Nose Costing NHS £3m a Year, New Study Reveals

A big expense for NHS hospitals in England is removing foreign objects from careless kids' noses and ears, a new study published on Thursday stated.
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Around 1,218 objects were pulled from noses and 2,479 from ears between 2010 and 2016, costing an average of nearly £3bln ($3.9bln) each year, a report from the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons said.  

Most cases involved children, with 95 percent involving noses and 85 percent from ears. 

Despite this, removing foreign objects from ears proved more expensive and cost the NHS £2.4m ($3,1m) for children and nearly £322,000 ($417,693) for adults, totalling nearly £2,880,148 ($3,735,333) each year and overstretching already stressed budgets for the NHS. 

Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons removed jewellery more than other objects from children, but cotton buds caused most cases in adults.  

Children aged one to four were the most likely to seek help for nose incidences and five to nine-year-olds for ear problems, according to England's Hospital Episode statistics. 

"As a result of this prevalence, the data suggest that nearly £3 million is being spent in NHS England each year on presentations for aural and nasal foreign body removal," the survey said.  

"This demonstrates a burden to NHS England's bed situation and budget." 

A range of items were plucked out from orifices, including paper and plastic toys from noses and cotton buds and pencils from ears, the survey continued. 

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"Ask any ear, nose and throat surgeon, and they'll be able to tell you about weird and wonderful objects they have retrieved from the noses and ears of children and adults — pretty much anything that fits," Dr. Simon Morris, a specialist at Morriston Hospital in Swansea said as quoted by the BBC. 

"Personally, I've seen green peas, 'googly eyes' and polystyrene balls from bean-bags."  

"Obviously prevention is better than a cure, which is why many toys contain warnings about containing small parts," Dr. Morris continued.  

"But otherwise, recognising this early and seeking medical attention is important."

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