Nosebleeds

While nosebleeds can be scary, they’re rarely serious. They often result from harmless causes, like your child picking their nose too hard or bumping it during play.

Other triggers might include:

• Dry air: When the air is dry, nasal blood vessels can become fragile and bleed easily.
• Colds and allergies: Infections or allergic reactions may irritate and swell the nasal lining, leading to bleeding.
• Frequent nose blowing: Repeated blowing can aggravate the inside of the nose.
• Medications: Use of supplemental oxygen or drugs that dry out the nose can cause bleeding. Pain relievers like ibuprofen might also affect clotting.
• Growths inside the nose: Non-cancerous polyps can create crusts and cause bleeding.

Nosebleeds usually aren’t painful, but seeing blood can upset your child. Staying calm is key, as crying might make the bleeding worse.

Try these steps to stop the nosebleed:

1. Have your child sit up and lean slightly forward: Avoid lying down or bending backward.
2. Encourage breathing through the mouth: This keeps blood from going down their throat.
3. Ask your child to spit out any blood in their mouth: Swallowing blood can cause nausea or vomiting.
4. Pinch their nostrils tightly for at least five minutes: If bleeding continues, repeat. If bleeding lasts over 10 minutes, call your doctor or go to emergency care.
5. Apply a cold compress to the nose bridge: Avoid putting anything inside the nose.
6. Don’t let your child pick or blow their nose for several hours: This helps prevent new bleeding.

Reach out to your pediatrician if your child:

• Has nosebleeds frequently
• Experiences difficulty breathing
• Appears weak, dizzy, or pale
• Has a nosebleed following a serious injury to the face or head
• Develops severe headaches along with nosebleeds
• Starts vomiting blood
• Has nosebleeds after starting a new medicine

Repeated or heavy nosebleeds might indicate an underlying problem. Don’t hesitate to contact your doctor or visit the emergency room if you notice these signs.

At our pediatric clinic, we carefully examine your child’s nose to find any damaged vessels. Treatments we might offer include:

• Applying ointments that help stop nasal bleeding
• Cauterizing affected blood vessels to seal them
• Packing the nose with medicated gauze to compress vessels

After stopping the bleeding, additional tests may be recommended to identify causes.

Though nosebleeds can happen suddenly, you can reduce the risk by:

• Using a petroleum-based gel to keep nostrils moist during dry weather
• Running a humidifier in your child’s room
• Ensuring your child wears protective gear during sports
• Keeping nails trimmed to avoid nose-picking injuries

From common colds to chronic conditions, Sammy Kim, MD provides caring, hands-on pediatric care you can count on.

We offer same-day appointments at our clinic in Encino, CA. To schedule, call us at (818) 789-0941 or contact us online.