First aid for winter nosebleeding in children
Since the cold season began, my daughter probably has had more than ten episodes of nose bleeding. She has been such a trooper and already learned to keep an tissue-covered ice chip on her nose bridge without panic.
Still, It’s a scary thing, for both parents and child, to see blood gushing out of her nose.
So this article from kidsgrowth got my attention quickly, and I realized there were some things I did right, and other steps I got it wrong.
Here are some tips to stop nose-bleeding:
- The child should first blow his or her nose to free any large clots that might interfere with applying pressure.
- Apply pressure by squeezing the soft part of the nose for 10 minutes. Don’t release the pressure until the 10 minutes are up.
- Have the child sit up and lean forward to avoid swallowing blood. Have a basin available so he or she can spit out any blood that drains into the throat. Swallowed blood is irritating to the stomach. Don’t be surprised if it is vomited up.
- After releasing the pressure, apply ice (crushed in a plastic bag or washcloth) to the nose and cheeks for the next 10 minutes. Even sucking on an ice cube or popsicle will help constrict nasal blood vessels.
- After the bleeding has stopped, keep the child sitting up and encourage them not to pick or blow their nose. The crust or firm clot that forms within the nose should be left alone.
- Never pack the nose with anything since bleeding will usually start again when the packing is removed.
I thought having my daughter’s head back was correct, but she was swallowing and (vomiting) blood and that was very unpleasant for her.
To prevent nose-bleeds:
- Use a humidifier in the child’s bedroom at night.
- Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly twice a day to the center wall inside the nose. That helps relieve dryness and irritation.
[source: kidsgrowth]
Tags: first aid, nose-bleed, winter, cold season, children, health
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POSTED IN: First Aid and Safety
1 opinion for First aid for winter nosebleeding in children
Angelique
Dec 26, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Awesome advice! I wish I had known about not having my little dude lay back. Ooops. No wonder he kept swallowing and trying to get up.
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