Seeing your child’s nose gushing blood can be a pretty terrifying sight. Fortunately, even if nosebleeds look distressing, they’re rarely ever serious. In most cases, they will stop without any intervention, give or take a couple of minutes, and won’t require a visit to your family doctor in South Jordan. On the other hand, if the nosebleed was brought on by an injury, particularly one that involves a head-on collision, then it’s best that you call your doctor for professional advice.
Why Do Nosebleeds Happen?
Nosebleeds in kids are usually caused by irritation of the mucous membranes due to allergies, colds, or excessively dry air. Couple this with nose picking and the membranes could be damaged and result in further bleeding. Typically, the tiny blood vessels located in the front portion of the nose will be affected first, and bleeding would end after several minutes. But if the source of bleeding is from the back portion of the nose, it might not stop as quickly and might require medical help. Nosebleeds could also be the result of injury to the head or face, infection, inserting tiny objects inside the nose, and blood clotting disorders.
Can Nosebleeds Be Prevented?
If the air in your house is especially dry and causing your child’s mucous membranes to dry out, the chances are that your child’s nose will be irritated. To combat this, consider putting a humidifier in the room to help put moisturize the air and keep your child’s nose from being irritated, drying out, and eventually bleeding. You could likewise reduce the risk of nosebleeds by stopping your child from picking his or her nose and making certain that his or her fingernails are cut short.
How to Stop a Nosebleed
Get your child to sit straight and lean slightly forward. The operative here is “slightly,” as leaning too much would just make the nosebleed worse due to the increased rush of blood to the area. Conversely, leaning too far back would lead the blood to gush down your child’s throat, which in turn could result in an upset stomach. Additionally, use your index finger and thumb to squeeze the part between the bridge and the end portion of the nose and keep the pressure on it while you wait for the bleeding to stop.
When to Seek Medical Help
Consult your family doctor if the bleeding persists for 15 minutes or more or if your child experiences regular nosebleeds, as this might indicate an underlying issue. You should likewise seek help if your child’s nosebleed was due to an injury to his or her nose.
If this is the case, your doctor will be able to stop the bleeding by putting packing material inside the nose, which is usually made from gauze, or using an inflatable balloon directly on the affected vessels to stop the blood flow. More importantly, don’t forget to stay calm so that your child won’t panic. Remember that while nosebleeds could look frightening, in most cases, they heal fast, are virtually painless, and will stop on their own.
