Nosebleeds in Children: Causes, Treatment and When to Be Concerned

The nose serves to warm and humidify the air coming into the body. It does this by swelling (warm air) and contracting (cold air) the mucous membranes in response to the environment. The nose is lined with blood vessels which are just under the mucous membrane. The nose near the opening is most vulnerable to drying and injury. 

What Causes Nosebleeds in Children?

What are some of the causes for nosebleeds? Picking the nose with the finger is the most common reason. This causes scratches or abrasions, and leads to bleeding. Drying is the second most common cause due to low humidity from heating our homes. We can increase the humidity in the bedroom with a humidifier. Sometimes a rim of Vaseline around the nose helps conserve moisture inside the nose. A third reason for nosebleeds is allergies. Here the blood vessels dilate in response to the allergic response. The blood vessels are now more fragile, break easily and then bleed. This occurs more often during the summer. Other reasons include trauma to the nose. Leukemia and thrombocytopenia (low platelets) are uncommon reasons for a nosebleed, and you will usually see this along with purple dots and bruising on the skin.

How to Treat a Nosebleed at Home

What do I do with this bleeding nose? Most bleeding does not last more than five to 10 minutes. Apply direct pressure by squeezing the nose with your thumb and index finger at the point just before it begins to flare out until the bleeding stops. Your child should still be able to breathe through the mouth. Have your child sit up straight. Leave the clot in place for several hours. You may need to use Vaseline twice per day to help it heal. 

When to Be Concerned About Frequent Nosebleeds

We get concerned when bleeding goes beyond 30 minutes or seems to happen often, say a couple times a week. Let us know if this is a problem.