Toy “Squishy” Bursts, Sending Pieces Into 8-Year-Old Girl’s Ear

An 8-year-old girl from central Israel, Hadar, was injured after a “Squishy” toy she was playing with suddenly burst during play, scattering pieces around her. Soon afterward, she felt something strange in her right ear and began scratching it, suspecting a foreign object was stuck inside.

Her mother first tried to remove the visible fragments at home, but without success. The family then took her to Dr. Adi Weiss-Pink, a pediatric specialist with Clalit in the Dan-Ptah Tikva district, who found that parts of the toy had penetrated deeply into the ear canal. Because removal required special equipment and an ear, nose and throat specialist, she referred the girl to a hospital.

Hadar was treated at Schneider Medical Center, where Dr. Mor Shaked-Shukrun from the ENT unit examined her. He said the attempts to remove the fragments had also injured the ear, so the team used a microscope and specialized tools to assess the damage and remove the material as safely as possible.

“At first we checked whether the procedure could be done in the clinic or whether sedation would be needed,” he said. “Hadar cooperated exceptionally well, so we were able to carefully remove several fragments and beads that remained in the ear. After that, we cleaned the area and made sure there was no damage to the ear canal or eardrum. She is now being followed to ensure the area heals properly.” The doctor added that foreign bodies in children’s ears and noses are not unusual, and that proper equipment and experience are crucial to avoid injury.