Causes of nosebleeds in children
It is not unusual for a child to get an occasional nosebleed. Nosebleeds can be caused by sneezing, coughing, nose picking or by frequent blowing of the nose.
Dry air (e.g. outside in the winter, or when the heat or air conditioning is on in the home) makes nosebleeds more likely.
Many times a nosebleed will be noted at night or in the morning by blood on the pillow.
Treatment of nosebleeds in children
To treat a nosebleed, hold an ice pack or a cold compress over the nose, pinch the sides of the nose squeezing it closed, lean forward, and hold for at least 5-10minutes. If you have attempted to stop the nose bleed for more than 15 minutes, please call our office.
Use of a cool mist humidifier, especially at night, is helpful to keep the nasal lining moist making it less likely to bleed. You may also apply saline nasal gel to each nostril daily during the drier winter months.
Recurrent nose bleeds over a few days or a bleed that can’t be stopped in less than 15 minutes should be reported to the doctor.