Can we talk about bloody noses?

[Jennifer in MI]

My ds10 gets them regularly. He just got one that scared me a LOT! He was dripping blood all over the place and it bled actively (like pooling in his hands) for about 10 minutes. I was freaking out!!! I know what to do when it happens, but WHY does it happen? How do we prevent it?

 

His allergist knows and says it's quite common in kids with allergies/asthma. But, his are getting much, much worse. I was VERY near putting him in the car and running to the ER.

 

Advice?

[JudoMom]

Does he use saline spray or a neti pot?

 

My middle guy gets horrible nosebleeds, most often in the middle of the night. He wakes up and it looks like he's been attacked by a wild animal. We live in a dry climate, and the saline spray is supposed to help--I haven't noticed any rhyme or reason to the nosebleeds though. He goes through phases with them, and they are troubling!

[LG Gone Wild]

We've got a bleeder here, too. Humidifier helps.

[Jennifer in MI]

Does he use saline spray or a neti pot?

 

My middle guy gets horrible nosebleeds, most often in the middle of the night. He wakes up and it looks like he's been attacked by a wild animal. We live in a dry climate, and the saline spray is supposed to help--I haven't noticed any rhyme or reason to the nosebleeds though. He goes through phases with them, and they are troubling!

 

:grouphug: That's happened with William too. I walk into his room in the morning and I can smell it.

 

I'll have to break out the saline. It's not dry here right now. But, I just remembered that he's currently on Pulmacort for his asthma and a side effect is bloody nose. But, he gets them even when he's not on it.

 

No rhyme or reason, for sure! I sure hope these stop soon!!!!

[Jennifer in MI]

We've got a bleeder here, too. Humidifier helps.

 

Awesome! I'll get it out tonight. Maybe I should just keep it in his room always.

[alamama]

DD has been getting them too. It's very dry here so doc told us a humidufier, vaseline in the nose will help. Last year she had them so bad it bleed (BAD) for three hours straight, the seperate days. It freaked me out, I called the ER twice. They kept telling me it's ok and what to do.

[eternalknot]

I've always had these. They scare people because the bleeding is so profuse, and the bleeds so frequent. FWIW I've also been treated for anemia my entire life and this is apparently just one manifestation of that.

 

My parents used to lube up my nostrils (inside and outer rim) - any oil will work, I keep a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom and still use it most nights before bed. Petroleum jelly or mineral oil, too, if you don't mind using those. I also used to sleep with a mister at night, to keep the air around my bed from being too dry. Part of the problem was that during the night I'd rub my nose uncontrollably (in my sleep) and that would sometimes trigger a bleed.

[petepie2]

I put vaseline in my son's nose and that seems to help...I guess it depends on what's causing the nosebleed. Our pediatrician said if a nosebleed won't stop after 15 minutes of applied pressure (with a release after each 5 min), then that constitutes an emergency situation.

[alamama]

Oh! Someone told me to have them eat jello in powder form when their nose os bleeding.

[Laurie]

(He finally had one nostril cauterized at the ENT's office. Her assistant wasn't there the day we called for an emergency appt. so I assisted and can tell you that it was a very easy fix...don't hesitate to see an ENT doc!)

 

Here's the list:

1. Do not blow your nose or pick at nose for three weeks.

2. Sneezing: Cover/pinch nose before sneezing and sneeze out through the mouth for three weeks.

3. Avoid aspirin containing products for a few weeks, if approved by primary care physician.

4. Use a nighttime humidifier.

5.Apply generic antibiotic ointment three times a day for the first three weeks to the nasal passages.

6. Thereafter, apply Vaseline to the nasal passages once at bedtime.

7. No strenuous activity for three weeks.

8.Use over the counter Colace stool softener for any degree of constipation.

9. Use over the counter nasal saline spray--two sprays in each nostril 3-4 times a day.

 

Good luck! It can be frightening...my ds's bed sometimes looked like a crime scene.

[Sue in WI]

:grouphug: It is pretty scary when it doesn't stop. Two of my ds get nosebleeds regularly. I put Ayr Saline Nasal Gel inside their nostrils at night as a preventative when it is dry.

[Muninay]

We have 4 nosebleeders out of 5 kids. They have very thin capilliaries in their noses. Just like the others we use a humidifier and they have to be well hydrated, 8 glasses of water a day.

[Mosaicmind]

DD/21 and DS/17 get really bad bloody noses. Dr said don't take into ER unless it goes more than 30min. Well....dd/21 started one at work that lasted 20 min then started coming out her tear ducts. It was so forceful there was no place for it to go. The bleed went on for almost an hour before ER doc could get it to stop. After that we went to ENT dr and he told me that she needed her nose cauterized. Since then she hasn't had one nose bleed and that was a year ago.

 

I think DS/17 is going to have to have this done. He had a bad bleed about 4mo ago; not 30min but long enough he started getting woozy and slept the rest of the day. I would say if it becomes an ongoing problem than go see an ENT.

[Lady Florida.]

My son used to get them regularly, but they seem to get less frequent with age. He hasn't had one in more than a year, until the last week. He's been getting them about every other day for a week now, but still not as bad as they once were. His doctor told me years ago they were nothing to be concerned about (though I already knew that).

[Heather in Neverland]

My little guy had nose bleeds daily and they were so scary. He would bleed profusely. We tried saline spray and humidifiers. Nothing. We took him to an ENT who told us his adenoids and tonsils were huge and blocking his nasal passages and he needed them removed so we did it. He STILL had nosebleeds.

 

You know what finally cured it? Moving to Malaysia! It is so darn humid here all year that his nose bleeds are gone!

[wapiti]

It may be worth a mention to your ped. I know our ped has always asked to be told if nosebleeds are a problem. (FWIW, that was before we found out that one of them has a problem with low platelets - now he has some nosebleeds!)

[Lacie]

I was told to buy the smallest tampons that you can get and to clip a little off the end and put in their nose. It expands and applies pressure.

[sparrow]

When I was around 10, I had nasal cauterization due to chronic nosebleeds.:tongue_smilie:

[ciyates]

DS has had his nose cauterized 6 times in 3 years. He has been checked by the doc and he is fine it is just thin blood vessels in his nose. Nothing helps so we have learned to live with it.

 

The blood can be scary though.

[HS Mom in NC]

My ped said if they are occasional, not to worry. If they are frequent, he'll test for blood clotting issues. My 5 year old gets a few a year.

[jujsky]

I haven't read all the responses, but have you had his adenoids and tonsils checked? DS used to get nosebleeds all the time, and some were as severe as the one you described (I was close to taking him to the ER a couple of times too!). Since his adenoids and tonsils came out, he's had very few nosebleeds, and usually he has a reason for them like he has a cold and is blowing his nose a lot or he's picking his nose or something. Gross, I know, but he's 7, and as he tells me all the time, "What? I'm a boy. Boys are gross!"

[Jennifer in MI]

Thank you all! I wish I could respond to each of you individually, but I'm tired and need to go to bed.

 

Real quick - ds has been checked out by his ped and allergist and his tonsils and adenoids are fine. His allergist said that he has blood vessels that are very thin and those are probably the ones that are bleeding. I'll ask about seeing an ENT. I think I'd like his nose to be cauterized. We've planned a couple vacations and I cannot imagine being on them and having this issue!

 

His nosebleeds seem to come in cycles. I should keep track. This is his first one in a while. But once they start, they seem to happen quite often.

 

I'll definitely be pushing more water on him!

 

Oh - and Heather - If moving to Malaysia is a cure, we're there!!! We can stay with you - right????? Heehee.

[trailofsparks]

FWIW I've also been treated for anemia my entire life and this is apparently just one manifestation of that.

 

My ds12 has always gotten nosebleeds, usually at the turn of a season and, yes, when it's dry. I started having him drink more water and we put a plant in his room. The nosebleeds are less frequent now - they've decreased w/his age.

 

I am glad you mentioned it being a symptom of anemia. This may be why my ds seems low on energy so often. I was going to have him tested for Lymes, even though I didn't think his lack of energy quite dictated that move. Instead, I'll have him tested for anemia. So glad you mentioned this!

[EKS]

Apparently once they have one nosebleed, especially if it's from trauma, they are more likely to have more. You can get a cream from the doctor that helps, if you put it in every day. They can also cauterize the spot that is prone to bleeding.

 

My son finally ended up at urgent care with a nosebleed and they gave him this thing we call a "nose clamp". It is especially for pinching the nose during a nosebleed. One major problem with getting them stopped is that kids will never pinch (not just hold a kleenex to the nose) long enough (like 10 full minutes plus). Here's a link: http://www.stopnosebleeds.com/

[Jennifer in MI]

Ugh. It's bleeding AGAIN!!!!! He's soaking our old cloth diapers. Ugh.

[Laurie]

Ugh. It's bleeding AGAIN!!!!! He's soaking our old cloth diapers. Ugh.

 

Have you tried putting an ice pack on the back of his neck?

[Jennifer in MI]

Have you tried putting an ice pack on the back of his neck?

 

Doing it now.

[meggie]

My son had 17 in 5 days when he got a cold. We went to the ENT and they cauterized it. We have a cold mist humidifier that runs at night. When it's dry, I put vaseline in his nose. I also give him a half of a Vitamin K tablet, it helps it clot faster.

[Jennifer in MI]

Have you tried putting an ice pack on the back of his neck?

 

I'm not sure if that worked or if the pressure worked. But, it stopped. He's sleeping with me tonight.

 

 

My son had 17 in 5 days when he got a cold. We went to the ENT and they cauterized it. We have a cold mist humidifier that runs at night. When it's dry, I put vaseline in his nose. I also give him a half of a Vitamin K tablet, it helps it clot faster.

 

I'll ask my doc and allergist about the vit K. Makes sense.

[redsquirrel]

I am a nosebleeder and so are my kids. So was my dad. Yes, it does go in cycles. I think mostly due to you get one crack and then it doesn't heal and then it keeps bleeding.

 

Mine are so, so much better now I am older. You know why? I don't put my fingers up there. Don't tell them not to pick. Use the doctor trick and ask them 'what finger do you use to pick your nose' :lol: And ENT told me he can always tell when somone has nosebleeds because they have scars and scabs inside their nose from picking. When my younger son gets one of his terrible nose bleeds, I always remind him NOT to put his fingers up there. Now, it is hard because noses itch. And allergic noses itch even more. And allergic noses with thin, thin skin get that much itchier and then they bleed at the smallest pressure. We all pick a bit to stave off an itch. Teach your child to pinch his/her nose to stop itching. Try saline solution if it is really itchy.

 

I still get nosebleeds in the dry weather. Sometimes a good hard sneeze can make it happen as well.

[Luanne]

and so was my brother. In my case, it was not only the dry climate here, but also was worse when I became too warm. The one time I had an upstairs bedroom (I was 17) I had to sleep on the couch in the basement the entire summer because I kept getting bad nosebleeds when I was sleeping.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Luanne
correcting spelling

[Cinder]

My son used to get them regularly, but they seem to get less frequent with age. He hasn't had one in more than a year, until the last week. He's been getting them about every other day for a week now, but still not as bad as they once were. His doctor told me years ago they were nothing to be concerned about (though I already knew that).

 

This was our experience as well. Ds1 would get massive nosebleeds for no particular reason. Sometimes it was too hot. Sometimes too dry. Other times . . . ? We couldn't figure it out. I was the same way when I was young. Mine were actually worse in my teens/early 20's. But ds has a lot fewer nosebleeds now at 16 than he did when he was 10.

[nmoira]

DD the Younger's nosebleeds put one in mind of an old Sam Raimi film. I keep her room humidified in winter during the cold, dry snaps (the air here is usually humid) and remind her not to search for treasure. Thankfully, they've become less frequent as she's aged, but she used to get a big one at least once a month.