Ask the Doctor

Troublesome nose bleeding

My three year old daughter has a regular attack of nose bleeding which can be very frightening. Kindly let me know what to do about the problem

Salamatu (by SMS)

 

Nosebleeds (Epistaxis) can be frightening, but they aren’t usually a sign of anything serious and can often be treated at home.  Nosebleeds occur because the inside of the nose is full of tiny, delicate blood vessels that can become damaged and bleed relatively easily. Common causes of nosebleeds include: picking the nose, blowing the nose very hard, a minor injury to the nose and changes in humidity or temperature causing the inside of the nose to become dry and cracked. To stop a nosebleed, make your daughter to sit down and firmly pinch the soft part of her nose, just above the nostrils, for at least 10-15 minutes. Tell her to lean forward and breathe through the mouth – this will drain blood down the nose instead of down the back of the throat. Place an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables covered by a towel on the bridge of her nose and make her to stay upright, rather than lying down. This reduces the blood pressure in the blood vessels of the nose and will discourage further bleeding. If the bleeding eventually stops, you won’t usually need to seek medical advice. However, in some cases you may need further treatment from your family doctor or in hospital. To prevent nosebleeds tell your daughter to avoid picking her nose and keep her fingernails short. You can also regularly apply petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to the inside of her nostrils to keep the inside of her nose moist.

David Olagunju

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