Nose Bleed
Q. How to control Nosebleeds?
A. Nosebleeds can occur easily. Most nosebleeds can be handled at home, but in certain situations the child should be checked by a Pediatrician. A nosebleed occurs when blood vessels in the inner lining of the nose get injured.
Q. Can nosebleed be serious?
A. Most nosebleeds are not serious and can be managed at home. But, frequent nosebleeds or bleeding from both nostrils may need further investigations to rule out underlying disease. You also need to see a Pediatrician, if the bleeding occurs after an injury and the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 20 minutes of applying direct pressure to your nose.
Q. Do children get nosebleeds more often than adults?
A. Young children below the age of ten years put fingers and objects in nose. This makes them more prone to get nosebleeds.
Q. What are common causes of nosebleeds?
A. Nose picking is the commonest cause of nosebleed. Dry air, cold and allergies can cause dryness of nose, sneezing, coughing and forceful blowing. All these can cause nosebleed. Injury to the face and nose also can cause nosebleed. Nosebleed can also happen in children with sinusitis. Some nasal decongestant drops also can cause dryness of nose and bleeding. Rarely, some bleeding and clotting diseases can cause nosebleeds.
Q. How do I stop nosebleed?
A. The child should be made to sit upright with the body and head leaning forward. He should be encouraged to breathe through his mouth. Apply firm, steady pressure to both nostrils by squeezing them between your thumb and index finger for 5 minutes. If still bleeding, continue squeezing the nose for another 10 minutes. If bleeding is very heavy, the child should be taken to the pediatrician.
Q. When should I take the child who has nosebleed to the doctor?
A. The child who has nosebleed and the bleeding hasn’t stop after 15-20 minutes of direct pressure or there is too much of blood loss, should be taken to a doctor. Those who have breathing problem or those who vomit swallowed blood should also be taken to the doctor. If the child is looking pale or is feeling weak should be taken to the Pediatrician. Nosebleed following head injury also needs immediate attention. The child who gets nosebleeds often or gets bruises easily and those who are under two years of age should also be taken to the Pediatrician for further investigations.
Q. What can I do to prevent nosebleeds?
A. Saline nasal drops would help children who have dryness of the nose. Use of room humidifier in the bedroom at night may help. The child should be encouraged to sneeze through an open mouth and avoid forceful blowing of the nose. We should also counsel the child to avoid putting finger in the nose and also keep child’s fingernails short. A close follow-up with the Pediatrician for nasal allergy symptoms is important.