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Nose Bleeding in Children

Nose bleeding in children is normal and very common. The lining of the inside of the nostrils is fragile, and dry air or very minor injuries can cause nosebleeds. It's rare for nosebleeds to indicate a serious medical problem. In fact, some children are prone to having them several times a week. Although the condition usually isn't dangerous, taking steps for prevention can help avoid the discomfort of frequent nosebleeds.

  1. Causes

    • It's not always possible to determine why a child has a nosebleed. Some of the most common reasons are dry air, a cold, allergies and injury. They can happen when children pick their noses or blow them too hard. Placing a small object in the nose can cause minor damage to blood vessels. More serious reasons include a chronic medical condition, blood clotting disorder and abnormal tissue growth.

    Treatment

    • If your child gets a nosebleed, stay calm and try to keep him from getting upset. Ask him to stand or sit with his head leaning forward. Hold an ice pack at the top of his nose. Pinch the nose at the nostrils, below the bony part, for 10 minutes. Don't let go to see if it's still bleeding; this can prolong the nosebleed. Do this for another 10 minutes if the bleeding hasn't stopped.

    Prevention

    • Nosebleeds that happen due to dry air are the easiest to prevent. Use over-the-counter saline nasal spray in your child's nose once a day and run humidifiers in your home. Put petroleum jelly in her nostrils to prevent dryness. Consult your pediatrician about managing allergies. If the child is old enough, explain why she shouldn't pick her nose, place anything inside it or blow it too hard.

    When to Seek Help

    • Call your pediatrician if you can't stop the nose bleed after pinching it for 20 minutes. Seek medical help if the blood loss is significant or rapid, the child has difficulty breathing, he is younger than 1 year old, or if there could be a serious injury, like a broken nose. Some signs of excess blood loss include being abnormally sweaty, pale, weak, dizzy or losing consciousness.

    Misconceptions

    • A common misconception is that you should tilt your head back if you have a nosebleed. In fact, tilt it forward. Leaning back or lying down causes the blood to drain down the throat and be swallowed, and that can cause vomiting. Avoid placing tissues in the nose while it's bleeding.

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