Nosebleeds can be scary to children – and sometimes to their parent. One minute your child is playing peacefully (or exuberantly), and the next they come running to you with blood gushing from their nostrils. For being so small, a nose can produce a lot of blood.
What Causes Nosebleeds?
Some nosebleeds happen for apparently no reason. Most are caused by:
- Forceful nose blowing
- Nose picking
- Vigorous nose rubbing
- Being hit in the nose
- A foreign body lodged in the nose
Nosebleeds rarely indicate a serious disease, but could indicate a cold or allergy. Also, children are more likely to have nosebleeds in the dry winter months. If your child hasn’t been picking his nose, suspect one of these causes:
- Dry and irritated mucous membranes
- Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
- Repeated sneezing
- Ear pressure (barotrauma)
- Cold or other upper respiratory infection
- Drugs (such as anti-inflammatory nose drops or sprays)
- Chemical fumes
- Surgery
When your child gets a nosebleed, it’s best if you stay calm. Your child is already upset at the sight of his own blood.
How to Stop a Nosebleed
- Have your child sit on your lap or in a chair, leaning slightly forward. The child can also stand, as long as he is leaning forward.
- With tissue or a clean washcloth, firmly yet gently pinch the soft part of your child’s nose for 10 minutes. (A dark washcloth works best, because the blood loss is less obvious to your child.) If you are near water, wet the cloth first with cool water. If you don’t have tissue or a washcloth, apply pressure with your fingers.
- Independent-minded children might prefer pinching their own nostrils.
- Resist the temptation to check to see if the blood flow has stopped until the full 10 minutes is up. Peeking sooner could start the blood flow again.
- Distract your child by reading a story from a favorite book or having them watch a video or TV program.
- Don’t let your child lie down or lean backward. This would allow blood to drain down his throat and could cause coughing or vomiting.
- If your child’s nose is still bleeding after 10 minutes, apply another 10 minutes of pressure.
- Do not shove tissue or anything else up your child’s nose to try to stop the bleeding.
- After the bleeding has stopped, keep your child engaged in calm activities for several hours. Be watchful for little fingers attempting to pick at that nose. Discourage all blowing, rubbing, picking, or any other contact with the nose.
- It takes up to 10 days for your child’s nose tissue to completely heal. During this time:
- Keep your child’s fingernails trimmed
- Discourage active, strenuous play
- Use saline nasal sprays to keep the nose moist
- Keep the air in your child’s room moist by using a cold-air humidifier
- If bleeding persists after your second attempt to stop the bleeding, contact a physician or take your child to an urgent care clinic.
- If your child has frequent nosebleeds, a physician should evaluate them.
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