Is nosebleed in your child a cause for concern?

It sure is bad enough to have a child with a runny nose but at times some children have bleeding noses and the flow can be a cause of some alarm to any parent.

Why do Noses bleed?

“Have fingers will explore” seems to be any child’s birthright. Right from electric sockets to their own nostrils can be great places for exploration. We normally ensure that children are kept in completely secure surroundings but still some children will get hold of a pencil or other objects and explore their nostrils with it.

This is the major cause of most nosebleeds in children upto 4 years of age. There are tiny veins in the nose which then rupture if probed by a foreign object and can cause copious blood flow. Of course there are other conditions too which can be responsible for nose bleeds. The American Pediatric Association states that colds and allergies, trauma or excessive humid conditions, abnormal growths (Polyps) or chronic illness (Haemophilia) could also contribute significantly to nosebleeds other than the obvious causes of probing or injury.

How to deal with a nose bleed?

First and foremost as a parent do not panic. If this is the first time then you don’t know the reason for the nosebleed, so don’t assume that it is due to a foreign object like a pencil or stick.

1. Reassure and calm the child and ask him to sit down instead of lying down as lying down could mean the blood pressure in the head area could increase causing the blood to flow out faster.
2. Gently pinch the nose at the septum and gradually go up the bridge. The pressure on the nose should be very gradually increased with no discomfort to the child. Hole the position for ten minutes before releasing the pressure. By this method the bleeding vein will be clamped down thus causing the blood flow to stop and for the coagulation process to start clotting.
3. If the bleeding doesn’t stop then you need to consult the doctor immediately for ascertaining the reason.

Some children have their veins too close to the mucous membrane and as a result those get irritated or injured even due to simple blowing of the nose.

In 80% of nosebleeds the reasons are quite simple and don’t require any treatment or medication. Abnormal growths like polyps need medical treatment to ensure that they are not cancerous. Important thing is to ascertain the real reason before you can heave a sigh of relief.