La nosebleed in children it is a frequent situation, which in most cases should not worry the parents and is resolved in a short time. Bleeding from the nose, also said epistaxis, mainly affects children between 2 and 10 years and, although the blood may seem a lot, it must not scare: they are rare in cases where it is necessary to bring the child to the first aid!
The causes of blood loss from the nose in children can be many and different: they vary from putting too much fingers in the nose going to tease the fragile capillaries, to the low humidity of the surrounding environment. Nosebleeds rarely have anything to do with serious health problems... Let's analyze together, then, what can be the causes of bleeding from the nose and what to do (e do not) if it happens to your baby.
What are the main causes of nosebleed in babies?
La inner wall of the nose of children, in its front part, is full of very fragile blood vessels (also called "capillaries"), which can break easily causing bleeding or blood loss. Indeed, it is enough for the child to put on picking your nose with some insistence for the blood vessels to rupture and the inner wall to start bleeding. This can also happen simply blowing the nose with too much force.
The bleeding is favored, among other causes, by severe cold or allergies, or by the presence of a foreign body in the nose. Also there low humidity the surrounding environment can lead to epistaxis, as well as excessive exposure in the sun or heat.
Among the other causes we find, of course, the occurrence of trauma (from a simple rubbing to more serious injuries such as a nasal septal fracture), taking certain drugs (especially anti-inflammatory or nasal sprays), one excessive effort during evacuation. It is no coincidence that nosebleeds are common in children who suffer from constipation.
Fortunately, the nosebleed is a symptom of more serious health problems, due to systemic factors, in very rare cases. If it occurs frequently and cannot be associated with any of the factors listed above, it is better consult your doctor.
What to do in case of nosebleeds?
According to the guidelines reported by theGeneral Pediatric Bambino Gesù, the most important thing to do in case of nosebleed in children is keep calm and reassure the little one, who may be quite frightened by the sight of blood. Explain that it is nothing serious and that will soon pass!
Then make sure you keep the baby in sitting or standing position, preventing it from lying down. Have him tilt his head slightly forward to prevent blood from being swallowed or inhaled and hold pressed between thumb and forefinger (or have him hold the soft part of the nostrils down for about ten minutes if the baby is not too small).
Passed about ten minutes, check that the blood has stopped. If the bleeding continues, hold on for another ten minutes. It can help to put a cool towel or with ice in the root of the nose.
If the child has blood in his mouth, make him spit it out, so that he does not swallow it, with the risk of vomiting. Then make him drink something cold or eat a popsicle to remove the flavor and try to distract him so that he can completely calm down. Don't let him eat hot drinks or food, nor give him a hot bath for 24 hours.
What not to do in case of nasal bleeding and how to prevent it?
If your baby has one nosebleed do not panic and try, indeed, to reassure him. Attention, as already mentioned, a don't let him lie down and not to make him tilt his head back too much. Avoid sticking in his nose hemostatic cotton or gauze other type to stop the flow: just hold down with your fingers! Finally, remember not to clean your nose with hot water.
To prevent epitaxis, however, always remember to humidify the rooms, to wash your baby's nose regularly with a saline solution, to avoid overuse of nasal sprays and, above all, teach him not to wear pick your nose!
When is it good to go to the emergency room?
As we have anticipated, in most cases epistaxis does not require medical intervention or the rush to the emergency room. These solutions may be necessary only in case of a nosebleed don't stop or if the episodes are really very frequent.
Also be careful if the child has less than two years of age or if he turns out to be strangely pale or unconscious.
For more scientific information on nosebleeds in children, you can consult the website of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital.
