Nosebleeds: causes of nosebleeds, nosebleeds plus causes of nosebleeds for children

Bleeding from your child's nose or or a nosebleed will definitely make you panic. Especially if the nosebleed suddenly occurs without a known cause. Although it does not always indicate a dangerous health condition, you also need to know what causes nosebleeds in children and how to treat them.

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What Are Nosebleeds in Children?

The nose is one part of the body that has many small blood vessels and is classified as fragile.

Quoted from Cedars Sinai Medical Center, when the blood vessels burst, the nose will bleed which is commonly referred to as a nosebleed.

Usually, this condition only occurs in one nostril. Parents should also know that most nosebleeds occur on the front near the nostrils.

In the medical world, this condition is also known as epistaxis. Sometimes, this condition looks scary.

However, it's usually not a serious thing. Bleeding from the nose is usually minimal and quite brief.

How common are nosebleeds in children?

Bleeding nose is a symptom that is quite common at all ages.

However, the likelihood of a child experiencing a nosebleed is two times higher than that of an adult.

In some cases, the nosebleed will stop by simply pressing on the nose but in others it requires further medical treatment.

Therefore, try not to underestimate it if this happens to you or your little one.

Types of Nosebleeds

Bleeding from the nose or a nosebleed in a child can be dramatic and scary. Fortunately most of these conditions are not serious and can be treated fairly easily.

Nosebleeds are divided into two types, depending on the origin of the bleeding, namely:

1. Anterior nosebleeds

Anterior nosebleeds are bleeding from the blood vessels at the very front of the nose which causes more than 90% of cases of epistaxis.

This type is the easiest to treat, either with a doctor's care or with just home care.

2. Posterior nosebleeds

This type is one that is less common than anterior nosebleeds. This condition often occurs in elderly people.

Bleeding originates from an artery at the back of the nose. So it is more difficult to handle alone and usually requires treatment by an ENT doctor.

Signs and Symptoms of Nosebleeds in Children

The main sign that parents can see is when blood is dripping or flowing from the nose.

Although most cases originate from one nostril, it does not rule out the possibility of bleeding is higher.

Namely, bleeding from both nostrils. Nosebleeds in children are usually painless.

However, you can also experience pain due to injury or areas of tissue inside the nose.

When to seek medical help?

You should contact your doctor immediately if:

• Still bleeding after pinching the nose for more than 10 minutes.
• There is an object stuck in the nose.
• Happens quite frequently and repeatedly in adjacent times.
• Bleeding other areas of the body such as gums, urine or feces.
• Easy bruising.
• Have a disease related to blood clots.
• Feel dizzy or like to pass out.
• Have a fast heart rate or have difficulty breathing.
• Experiencing coughing or vomiting blood.

What Causes Nosebleeds in Children?

The causes of nosebleeds are quite diverse and are usually harmless.

An example is picking your nose or putting an object in your nose.

However, it is possible that nosebleeds occur due to certain disease conditions.

Here are some causes of nosebleeds in children that parents need to know, including:

1. Dry air

The most common cause of nosebleeds in children is dry air.

Usually this condition will occur more frequently in cold climates when there are many upper respiratory infections and when temperature and humidity fluctuate dramatically.

Changes in temperature from a cold outside environment to a warm, dry house will also make the nose more prone to bleeding.

Not only in cold climates, sudden nosebleeds can also occur in hot and dry climates with low humidity or when there is a change in seasons.

These conditions can cause the lining of your child's nose to become dry, cracked and bleed.

2. Injury to the nose

Accidental injury to the nose can damage the blood vessels in the nostrils and eventually bleed.

This one cause of nosebleeds often occurs in children when they scratch and scrape their nose.

Especially if your baby's nails are long, it will further increase the injury to the nasal membranes.

However, in adults the habit of scratching the itchy nose can also make the nose hurt and bleed.

4. Inserting foreign objects into the nostrils

Children are filled with a great deal of curiosity. Usually he could not distinguish which one was allowed to be done and which was not.

Not infrequently children have a sense of curiosity about the objects around them and use them for things that shouldn't be.

For example, inserting a blunt object into the nose which can cause an injury to the point of causing nosebleeds in children.

5. Fatigue

When your baby is too tired due to certain activities, this can also cause nosebleeds in children.

The cause of this one nosebleed needs to be watched out for because it is susceptible to the background of certain health problems.

When a child experiences fatigue, usually the blood vessels will get tense easily until they finally burst and cause sudden nosebleeds.

Try to see a doctor if your child often experiences nose bleeds due to fatigue.

6. Certain health problems

It was explained a little above that dry nose can cause nosebleeds.

Including when a child has the flu so that it can irritate the lining of the nose. This happens when the child blows his nose repeatedly so that it bleeds.

Then, nosebleeds in children can also occur accompanied by headaches due to certain health conditions.

The cause of nosebleeds accompanied by headaches in children can be a symptom of a disease, such as:

• Allergic rhinitis
• Sinusitis in children
• Anemia
• High blood pressure

How to Get Rid of Nosebleeds in Children

Here are various ways to treat nosebleeds in children, from doctor's care to home remedies that parents can do.

1. Treatment of nosebleeds from a doctor

If your child has persistent nose bleeding, there is a chance that the doctor will take certain actions.

The doctor will check the condition of the nose to determine the origin of the bleeding. Basically, the steps taken for treatment depend on the cause.

The doctor will use a topical nosebleed medication on the child to anesthetize the lining of the nose and constrict the blood vessels.

In addition, the doctor will usually clear lumps and crusts from inside the nose.

Dikuitp from the Cleveland Clinic, here are some treatments that doctors can do, namely:

• Cautery, a technique to stop bleeding by using heat energy (electrocautery) to burn blood vessels
• Nasal packing, namely placing a strip of gauze into the nasal cavity to suppress the source of bleeding.
• Surgery and repair in the nose if needed.

2. Natural nosebleed medicine

Apart from doctor's care, there are various natural nosebleed remedies for children that you can find at home, such as:

Ice Cube

You can use ice cubes as a natural remedy and a way to deal with nosebleeds in children.

Ice cubes can be used to stop bleeding by constricting the blood vessels in the nose.

You can take a few ice cubes and cover them with a soft cloth or towel.

Try not to place the ice cubes directly on the child's nose as this can cause tissue damage. Compress until the bleeding seems to subside.

Salt water

Another natural medicine for nosebleeds in children is salt water. Salt water can be used to help relieve bleeding from cold and dry air.

This method of dealing with nosebleeds can help moisturize the inner lining of the nose and reduce irritation to the membranes.

Salt is also able to narrow the flow of blood vessels in the nose so that eventually the bleeding will stop.

After dissolving the salt in warm water, then wet a cotton ball with the water. Drop the water from the cotton on the nostrils slowly while tilting the child's head.

Lemon juice

Lemon is one of the fruits with high acidity and can be used as a medicine for nosebleeds in children.

Not only does it stop bleeding, the vitamin C content in lemons is also great for strengthening damaged blood vessels in the nose.

How to deal with nosebleeds using lemon can be done by dripping lemon juice into the cavity in the nose.

Home Care for Nosebleeds in Children

When the child has a nosebleed, try not to panic. You can take various steps for handling at home, as a way to deal with nosebleeds in children.

Here are some steps parents can take:

• Sit the child, or let him sit with his body leaning slightly forward
• Avoid lying down so that the child does not swallow blood, causing vomiting
• Also avoid the child putting his head between the knees because it will get worse
• Tell the child to breathe through the mouth next
• Close the nostrils gently for 5 to 10 minutes
• Compress with a cold towel on the nose area
• If the bleeding hasn't stopped, repeat the steps above
• After the bleeding stops, tell the child not to rub or pick the nose.

Actually, there is no specific drug to treat nosebleeds in children.

However, you can also use an over-the-counter decongestant spray to help moisturize your nose.

Sometimes, this oxymetzoline can be an alternative to nosebleeds in pharmacies. However, you should first consult a pediatrician.

How to Prevent Nosebleeds in Children?

You can prevent the cause of nosebleeds by doing certain things, such as:

• Keeps the nasal lining moisturised by dabbing petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment with cotton swabs three times a day.
• Routinely cut your little one's nails to prevent nosebleeds.
• Prevent dry air by humidifying the air using humidifier .
• Using a nasal spray saline to moisturize dry nasal membranes.

Please note, generally products used as ointments or topical drugs such as Bacitracin, A and D Ointment, Eucerin, Polysporin, and Vaseline.

Important nutrients to prevent nosebleeds

Apart from using the steps above, there are various nutrients that can actually prevent nosebleeds in children, such as:

1. Multi-vitamin and mineral supplements, and children's formulas

Taking vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc also helps treat and prevent nose bleeding.

Very poor child's diet which results in bleeding in the nose and other health problems.

Therefore, try to meet the children's needs for vitamins and minerals from food and supplements.

However, if you want to choose the right supplement, ask your doctor for help to determine it.

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C works with bioflavonoids as anti-oxidants to promote healing in the human body.

Vitamin C deficiency can also increase the risk of nose bleeds. In addition, vitamin C also helps boost a child's immune system.

A strong immune system makes children less prone to infectious diseases which can be one of the causes of nosebleeds.