Bloody Noses

I had tons of nose bleeds as a kid and they would bleed forever. I would get them a couple of times a day and they would last for 20 minutes. There isn't a whole lot you can do to prevent them. I greew out of them and get them occassionaly now. I try to put a little vaseline up my nose to keep it from getting too dry.
My son gets them too and he's following in my footsteps. It's not really that serious, just a major nuisance since most kids don't like their noses wiped.

Hi!
My 8 year old son gets starting when the weather changer (gets cooler) and the winter....A humidifier helps and so doesn't the little noses saline nose drops...Good luck

I wouldn't say they are anything to worry about. It is quite common this time of year to get bloody noses. Running a cool mist humidifier helps and you can also use a q-tip and put a little neosporin or vaseline inside the nasal passages to help keep the nose moist at night.

My husband and I both had lots of bloody noses as kids, so our son has them from both sides! At 13, he still gets them, although not as often.

Dryness is a common culprit and allergies can lead to them as well. Even mild bumps to the nose in sports can get them going. And, truth be told, picking at the nose can cause them as well. Sometimes our son's nose just doesn't stop! It bleeds and bleeds and bleeds for as long as 20-30+ minutes sometimes.

However, ever since our doctor recommended the following routine, our son's nose has been much better. This routine has helped greatly.

When our son's nose starts bleeding, he is to pinch his nose so that no blood comes out. He is then to hold it like that for FIVE minutes--have a clock or watch available, no peaking, no leakage allowed. It feels like forever when you first start trying this, but it's amazing. Even though it's ever-so-tempting to check if it has stopped, you need to remind all present about NO PEAKING.

After the five minutes, then check that it has stopped. It likely has. The next part may gross you out but it really helps to prevent future ones. You need to then pull out the clot. It will be VERY LONG and STRINGY. Keep pulling slowly till it is all pulled out. (Our son thinks this part is very gross and very cool. Me too, actually. It's amazing how long the clot can be.)

The point of doing this last step is to remove the clot that would otherwise harden and be a potential source for future aggravation. If you follow this process, it is likely you will not have a lot of repeat performances.

Like other responders, preventive measures include the Q-tip with Vaseline in both nostrils and a humidifier. When the heat first gets turned on, we start our full console humidifier down in our dining room (making sure it is clean). It basically works for the whole house and we are diligent about filling it. Those two things, along with checking for allergies, can go a long way to prevent them. And, if it all else fails, stop the nosebleed with the trick our doctor taught us. It works like a charm.

Our son is so used to nosebleeds. He has been relaxed with them for years because they are such a part of his life. Calm attention to them can go a long way to curbing them. In early years, they would upset him which would just make them bleed more. So a calm approach will do wonders.

Good luck!

Constipation probably equals dehydration, drier than normal skin and weaker capillaries in the nose. I would run a humidifier in his room and give him extra water during the day. Also, for the constipation, you may want to increase his fiber intake. I had plenty of bloody noses when I was little and still get them especially during pregnancy and the dry winter months. I also recommend the petroleum in the nose. It takes a long time for the nose to heal so one bloody nose can lead to many more, especially if he picks his nose or just blows it too hard.

My oldest gets them especially in the colder months. We run a humidifier in the boys' room at night and it seems to help.

My son also has bloody noses quite often. I find that he usually gets it during the cold months perhaps b/c the heat is on. It dries up their nasal passages. I usually put a cool mist humidifier on or not turn on the heat if possible. I was advised to put a little petroleum jelly with a qtip in their nose to moisten the nasal passage. I agree with you that it seems like a lot of blood or that it happens too frequently. My son hasn't had a nose bleed in a while but I know that once the weather gets colder out, it will happen soon. My pediatrician also told me not to worry also. But how can you not. The other thing is do you know of the procedure to stop the bleeding once it happens? Dont tilt his head back leave it upright and just apply pressure to the bridge or close to his nasal passage. Good Luck.

Hi K.,
I don't know a lot about nose bleeds on a little guy.
I do know that Vitamin K helps; its on the pith of an orange or grapefruit. Or it can be bought as a supplement.It has a bloodclotting component. Nothing major, just enough.
It this were to continue for awhile, yo might ask your doctor for a platelet check.
Sometimes people get the delicate small vessels inside the nose cauterized.
The central heating of winter causes dryness. Sometimes a small vaporizer in the bedroom does a good job.
It all may sort itself out, especially if it is something your husband has been thru as well.
All the best,
N.

other people have probably already said the same thing, but with the change in seasons you should be running a humidifier on low each night. If he ends up with a sick or having a cold, put it on high.

I have had bloody noses my whole life, and have found that as soon as you shut the windows and the natural humidity isn't present in the house, you need to supplement. Give that a go to help rule out environment. Anything beyond that can be discussed with a doctor if it continues.

He probably has a little vein that is close to the surface. There are nose lubrications one can use at night and they should deter the nosebleeds.
At night his nose gets dry, he probably picks at it in his sleep , causing the bleeding.
Ask at the pharmacy and they will tell you the name of the lubricant nose gel. Only costs a few bucks.
If he is having severe nosebleeds the vein may need to be cauterized. I had one ( of the seven ) that needed that done.
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell

My son also used to get bloody noses as soon as the colder months arrived. Just the drier air which makes sense. Someone mentioned a humidifier and I think that's a good idea. I know parents that keep one right in the child's bedroom and another in the family room, especially if it is very large. Good luck!

Try a humidifier in his room - maybe it's the dry air.

My 2nd child is prone to nose bleeds. Freaked me out the first time it happened because I never had one. My husband used to get them. Well, still does. It actually seems to happen most often in the colder weather. When the air is dryer. So my suggestion is put a humidifier in your sons room to make the air a little better. My daughter is 7 now and still gets them from time to time, but it's not as bad. And she's pretty used to them and I quickly stopped freaking out everytime it happened to keep her from freaking out. She takes it in stride. As long as you can get the bleeding to stop in a reasonable amount of time.

This time of the year when the air is drier and the heat is on, I take a stockpot and fill it with water and put it on to boil. Keep adding water to it as the water boils off. You can throw a couple of gallons of water into the air in your house in an afternoon. WAAAAY faster than a humidifier! And if you're feeling fancy, you can put in some cinnamon sticks or orange peel and make the whole house smell nice at the same time.

One thing that has helped our family members when they have had bloody noses, is to use some petroleum jelly in the nostrils. Just put a little in the nostrils, and it helps keep the area more moist, and not dry, and thus not causing as many bloody noses.
My sister in Denver, where it is very dry, also uses the petroleum on her cuticles. (instead of lotion).
Our docs. have also recommended it.
I know this doesn't really answer your question- but it is a solution which has helped our family and friends. :)
Good luck.

Hi K.,

My daughter used to get chronic nosebleeds too, and I remembered my sister had the same trouble as a child. So I asked her what she did. She said our chiropractor took care of them. So I found a good one for my daughter. Dr. Martin Rosen in Wellesley is one of the few certified in cranial work, and with his adjustments the nosebleeds stopped. She still gets them occasionally, but not chronically anymore. We also put vasoline up her nose when the pollens kick up, or when it's especially hot out.

Good luck, Dr. Rosen is wonderful with children and adults (and dogs!) if you can get in to see him.

Good luck, email me if you'd like to chat.

My son who is now 7 has frequent bloody noses also since he was about 2. I also had them as a child. They seem to happened when the season is shifting the air becomes dryer and cooler. It shouldn't be anything to worry about. They seem scary and my son has had huge bloody noses! I think it's just something that happens in the lining of the nose, when air pressure and quality begins to change.

Hi there. I know what it is like. My son gets them that frequently as well in the colder months. You can try a humidifier in his room but I found for him it was our heat that made it worse. I have the temp in his room set low at 62 degrees and it helps. The humidifier you need to keep clean and I found it was just too much to do. Good luck and he will grow out of them or at least get them much less.

Where the bloody nose happens only at night, I am wondering about the dryness of the house. We are all now closing windows, turning on the heat, etc. You should try running a humidifier in the bedroom at night to put moisture in the air. This could help with solving the problem.

I know all too well what you are going through! My husband as a child had chronic bloody noses and still does to this day. My stepson also began suffering from them right around the same age as your son. He is now 13 and still deals with them on a regular basis. Many a days my laundry room looked like a massacre had taken place!

For the two of them, being too hot seems to be a big trigger as well as dry air. The summer time is the worst. I am certainly no medical professional, but have been told that it may be caused by weak cartilage in the nose and often times hereditary. Funny enough, 2 out of 3 of my sisters-in-law also suffer. From them.My own 3 biological children though have not experienced them at all.

You want to dry putting a humidifier in the bedroom-especially during the winter when air can become dry from heating the house. Other than that, just staying relaxed and calm when handling the bloody noses is important obviously so as to not frighten your son. They can seem bad at times, I know. But at 39 and 13 my husband and son are perfectly healthy in every other way. For your sake, I hope your little guy is able to outgrow it. For the time being though, you may want to put a cover on his mattress and invest in extra sheets. (Medical supply stores sometimes carry those protective pillow case covers and pads like they use in hospitals.) Best of luck!

My 3-year-old was having nosebleeds last month too. She had her 3-year well visit last week and I asked the pediatrician about it. She mentioned the dry air and humidifier, and she also said sometimes there's a broken vessel (blood vessel?) and it takes a while for it to heal. Picking at it can open it up, especially as it's healing. Maybe when your son is sleeping, he's rolling around and possibly reopening the vessel. My pediatrician said that if it doesn't heal on it's own (just give it time), you can be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor, where they can get in there and close it up, but she said that's a last resort because it's unpleasant. I think maybe they burn it shut. No fun. So I guess get the humidifier going in his room, and make sure he's not picking at his nose. Maybe if he understands that if he keeps picking at it (assuming he is), it won't heal. As if you can reason with a 2.5-year old! Anyway, I hope this helps!

HI K.!
I would say if nothing else is going on then dont worry just yet. My son went through the same thing from 2-5...very prone to nosebleeds...not always at night though. You could try a humidifier in his room(could be dry). Eventually he should out grow them. My son is now 7 and rarely has them now. I know its worrisome but with a lack of anything else going on he's likely to outgrow them(i had a similar issue growing up and mine would last for 45 mins!)

S.

I grew up having them constantly with the change in seasons. My son is the same. The doctor told me just like I did he too will grow out of it. Things I use to cut down on the bleeds is a humidifier in his room and Vaseline in his nose to keep the inside moist. I just put a little on a Q-tip and rub it on the inside. Also saline spray helps keep the inside of the nose moist too.

My son went through the exact same thing! I remember feeling pretty scared myself, but as the doctor says it seems to be something that they grow out of. What I did, was swab his nose with a little bit of Vaseline before he went to bed & it seemed to slow them down a bit. I found that the dry temperatures were what seemed to bring them on, so the vaseline helped to keep the moisture in. Don't know if this will help you, but seemed to help us out a bit!