A sudden pouring of blood from your child’s nose can startle any parent. The immediate reaction is to try and stop it but one has to wonder what caused the bleeding in the first place. The good news is, nosebleeds is not a big deal. There are many common reasons why nosebleeds happen and you can prevent them from happening again.
Firstly it is important to understand what kind of nosebleed is it?
It can be an anterior or posterior nosebleed. The most common one among babies is anterior nosebleed which is caused when a tiny blood vessels in the nose called capillaries get ruptured. In anterior nosebleed, the blood oozes out from the front of the nose and not any deeper area.
A posterior nosebleed is a serious matter since it comes from deep inside the nose. But this kind of bleeding is unusual unless there is an injury.
Why is it caused?
Dry air:
Yes, it is that simple. Whether your baby is indoors in a heated and dry climate or outside, dry air can irritate the nasal membranes and cause a nosebleed.
Scratching or picking:
If your kid scratches or picks on his/her nose then chances are that the blood vessels in the nose can start bleeding. It is the second most common cause of nosebleeds.
Trauma:
Injury to the nose or face can cause nosebleed. If the bleeding remains constant, you should consult medical care immediately.
Cold, allergies, or sinus infection:
Even during nasal congestion, nosebleeds aren’t uncommon.
Bacterial infection:
During a bacterial infection in the nose, the skin develops red crusted areas in front of nostrils. These can also cause nosebleeds.
In extremely rare cases, nosebleeds can be a serious matter especially when caused by problems in blood clotting or abnormal blood vessels. But if your baby is undergoing nosebleeds without any of the reasons above, you should immediately consult a doctor especially is the nosebleeds are hard to stop.
How to treat your child’s nosebleeds?
There are many ways of slowing down your baby’s nosebleed. The first step is to keep them upright and tilting their head forward a little bit. If you ask them to lean their head back, as is usually the case, the blood can start running down the throat and make your baby cough or gag. In some cases, it may also cause vomiting.
Pinch the nose, right below the nasal bridge, in the soft part. Let your child breathe through their mouth. Maintain pressure for at least five minutes. Do not stop early as it may cause bleeding again.
Another way is to apply ice to the nose bridge which can also reduce blood flow but if your baby is too young, do not use ice.