Chronic Nosebleeds in Children

Nosebleeds can be very frightening for both children and parents. However, even though they are scary, nosebleeds are normal in children. If nosebleeds happen regularly, you will want to ask your child’s doctor about it in order to determine the cause and how to prevent them from happening so often.

There are many different possible causes of nosebleeds, whether they are an isolated incident or a chronic problem:

• Trauma from putting something into the nose, picking the nose, or getting hit in the face by a ball
• Irritation or swelling in the nose caused by an allergy or a cold
• Dry air that dries out the lining of the nose
• Abnormal nose structure and abnormal growths
• Medications (like aspirin) that alter blood clotting capabilities
• Chronic illnesses that require extra oxygen, which is drying

What to Do

Nosebleeds can cause vomiting if the blood goes down the back of the nose and into the throat. It is important to have your child stay standing or sitting with their head slightly titled forward. You can also gently pinch the soft, lower part of the nose to apply pressure for ten minutes. If your child is older, they can do this themselves while sitting quietly.

Avoid having your child lie down or tilt their head back, and do not put anything inside their nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

You should call your child’s doctor if the bleeding does not stop or if your child is vomiting or appears non responsive.

Treatments

There are many different things to try in order to reduce the recurrence of chronic nosebleeds, but the best treatment method depends on the cause of the nosebleeds. Simply using a humidifier or vaporizer at home can make the air less dry and prevent bleeds. A daily saline nose drop can also help to combat dry climates.

Sometimes, a chronic nosebleed is a sign of a growth in the nasal passages or a blood vessel in the nose or its lining that is small and easily broken. A doctor might choose to touch the small blood vessel with silver nitrate in order to keep it from bleeding.