Nosebleeds in your child

As it gets hotter by the day and the air is dry, children who suffer from nosebleeds are likely to have episodes. As a parent, you may worry as blood gushes out of your little one’s nose but before you rush to the doctor or a specialist like an ENT, it is important to understand what causes nosebleeds so that you know how to react. Although the gushing blood may look alarming, nosebleeds are rarely serious. Most nosebleeds will stop on their own within a few minutes. Remember to keep your cool and keep your child calm while the nosebleed subsides. All that blood can look scary, but in most cases, the nose heals quickly and painlessly.

How nosebleeds happen

Allergies, sinus infection, blood clotting disorders, injury and sticking small objects up the nose have been attributed to causing nosebleeds. But the most common cause of nosebleeds in children is irritation from a common cold, allergies, or really dry air. This irritation of the mucus membranes inside the nose, along with nose-picking, can damage them and cause bleeding. Usually, the small blood vessels in the front of the nose are the ones affected during a nosebleed, and the bleeding will stop within a few minutes. Bleeding from the vessels in the back of the nose can take longer to stop and may need medical attention.

How to deal with a nosebleed

Parents tend to make their child lean backwards when they have a nosebleed. This is a bad idea as this will cause the child to swallow the blood. You shouldn’t even allow your child to lean too far forward as more blood will rush to the area. The best thing you can do for your little one is to have them sit up straight, with a slight forward lean. In addition, take your thumb and index finger and squeeze the soft portion of your child’s nose, the part between the end of the nose and the bony bridge. Keep pressure on the nose until the bleeding stops.

Preventing nosebleeds

If the air in your house is dry and the mucus membranes of the nose are getting dried out, the nose can get irritated. A humidifier, especially during the dry winter months, can put moisture back in the air and prevent your child’s nose from drying out to the point of bleeding. Another way to prevent nosebleeds in children is to keep them from picking their nose; clip their fingernails often – it’s harder to pick with short nails!

When to get medical advice

You must seek medical care if the nosebleed is caused by an injury, especially a sports injury like a head-on collision during a soccer game or other physical activity. Call your paediatrician if your child has:

• recurring nosebleeds;
• if a nosebleed continues for more than 15 minutes;
• if the nosebleed was caused by an injury that may have broken the nose;
• your child is generally unwell, looks pale or has unexplained bruises on his body