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How to Stop Nose Bleeds in Kids

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While not everyone gets them nose bleeds are something that many people, and especially kids, deal with now and again. It’s important to know how to stop nose bleeds in kids if your child is one that often gets them so you can stop it quickly and safely.

Nose Bleeds in Kids: How to Stop Them and Prevent Them

How to Stop Nose Bleeds in Kids

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I’ll never forget the first nose bleed my son had. He was a few years old and we were on vacation at my grandparent’s cottage in Florida. It started with a little bit of blood dripping out of Nick’s nose, but in an instant it switched to blood just running out of his nose heavily.

I ran him to the bathroom, but the nose bleed was bad. In moments there was blood all over him, and it felt like it was all over everything else too. When it was all over the bathroom looked like a crime scene from all the blood around.

As a teaching major there were many things that I had learn in school to get my degree. One class we were required to take was a health class that focused on a number of topics.

One of those topics was first aid for the classroom. During that unit something we covered was how to stop nose bleeds in kids properly.

Nose bleeds in kids are quite common. If you spend any time working with a group of kids and you’ll find it’s something that will come up fairly regularly. Sometimes it’s from small accidents on the playground while other times they come out of nowhere, but it’s something that teachers need to be prepared for.

Even though teachers are trained in how to stop nose bleeds the typical response is to hand the student a tissue and to send them to the office or the school nurse. Sometimes nose bleeds can take time to stop, and teachers don’t usually have the time to fully devote to one student like that.

For parents though it’s a bit different. You are the one in charge and you are the one that needs to get the bleeding under control.

Even with my training I found my own head went fuzzy when Nick had that first terrible nose bleed. I was both panicked and freaked out. It was the worst kid’s bloody nose I had ever seen, and for a short moment it caused me to forget what to do.

Luckily after my short moment of shock my training came back to me and I was able to help stop Nick’s nose bleed. This type of training is something all parents should know in case such a situation occurs to you as well.

How to Stop Kid’s Nose Bleeds

When it comes to nose bleeds the first thing everyone wants t know is how to stop them. There are a few steps to take. Especially if it’s a really bad nose bleed.

Before I get into the steps though I want to stress something. Many of us were told in our childhoods that if we have a nose bleed we should lay on our backs to help stop the blood from flowing out, but this is not what should be done at all!

*No matter what you might have been taught to do in the past don’t lay your child on their back to stop their nose bleed. This can cause the blood to run down their throats. They could then swallow it and it could cause vomiting.*

Now, with that public service announcement out of the way here is what you should do to stop a nose bleed.

Stay Calm

The first thing you need to remember is to stay calm. Your child likely will already be upset about the situation, and they probably aren’t going to be happy about what they have to go through to get the bleeding to stop. If you don’t present a calm appearance to your child then there is no way that they will be.

Act in control (even if you don’t feel that way) to calm your child’s nerves. Move swiftly, but surely, and talk to your child in a calm and soothing voice. You might have to put a little authority into your voice to get through to your child. Just try to do it in a calm way.

Stop the Flow

To stop the blood flow have your child lean slightly forward and then pinch the soft part of their nose shut with your thumb and fore finger. Your child will need to breath through their mouth during this part.

Younger children can get scared at this point because they worry about not being able to breath. Instruct them to breath through their mouth and talk them through what is happening.

If possible keep the nose pinched shut for 10 minutes. If you child can’t last that long then just do it for as long as you can. Nick can never handle 10 minutes straight, so we often have to take a moment to stop and then try again. If you have to stop make sure to hold a tissue near their nose to catch any dripping blood.

If your child’s nose is still bleeding after the first 10 minutes than reapply pressure and check again in another 10 minutes.

Add Ice

While you’re pinching the nose shut you can hold an ice pack to the nose and cheeks (if your child will stand for it). The cold will constrict the blood vessels and help stop the bleeding.


Keep the Blood from Coming Back

Once the nose bleed has stopped there are some things you can do to keep the blood from coming back. The main thing is to make sure that you child doesn’t blow their nose for awhile. WebMD says that after a nose bleed you shouldn’t blow your nose for 12 hours. That certainly is easier said than done though. Just get your child to go for as long as they can without blowing.

You can also put some Vaseline on the inside of their nose. This helps to remoisten the membranes in the nose. Not all kids like this though, so don’t be surprised if they get upset over the thought.

How to Prevent Nose Bleeds?

So now you know how to stop a nose bleed, but it’s even better to prevent one from happening in the first place. Nose bleeds are mostly caused by the membranes in the nose drying up. This often happens due to dry air conditions, or from over use as can happen at the end of a cold.

Use Vaseline

As I mentioned above you can add moisture back into the nose with Vaseline. All you need to do is get a little Vaseline on your finger tip and rub it inside the nose right at the opening. Then you just leave it there. It’ll eventually just dissolve or will come out when your little one wipes their nose. I always do this if I notice the start of a nose bleed, but you can do it if you think conditions are right for causing a bloody nose.

Use a Humidifier

The easiest way to keep the membranes in the nose from drying out is by keeping the air moist. Nick and I both have humidifiers in our rooms. They’re great not only for helping with nose bleeds, but they help keep our skin from drying out to help prevent eczema as well.

The one we have for Nick’s room is a Crane USA Filter-Free Cool Mist Humidifier for Kids. These humidifiers are made to look like animals and are simply adorable! Nick’s is a dog, but that look isn’t one that is actively sold any more. You can often find them for around $30 which is a great price. If you see one under $25 grab it. That’s a really great deal.


 

See a Doctor

While I personally wouldn’t do this as a first step, if your child is having heavy nose bleeds consistently than you probably should talk about it with their pediatrician. In some cases they can cauterize the nose to keep the bloody noses from even occurring. They actually had to do this for one of my younger cousins and it completely stopped her nose bleeds.

In other cases consistent bloody noses can be a sign of something more serious. It your child is getting heavy nose bleeds often it certainly is worth a trip to the doctor to make sure everything is alright.

Bloody Noses in Kids

Nose bleeds in kids are anything but fun. They can be upsetting for both parent and child, but they usually are something that some at home first aid treatment can help.

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Rhonda

Wednesday 20th of December 2017

Thanks for sharing these tips. My granddaughter gets nose bleeds too. I don't think I could implement pinching her nose, but we do implement the ice pack. Her nose bleeds seem to occur when her room gets too hot. So, the humidifier is a great addition to a bedroom. Thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth

Saturday 30th of December 2017

The pinching can be tough. When Nick gets a bad nose bleed though it has been our only option in stopping it. Luckily Nick hasn't gotten a really bad nose bleed like that in quite some time. *knock on wood* Nick's usually dry from dry air too and a humidifier really helps prevent them.

Kimberly Flickinger

Tuesday 5th of September 2017

Thank you for sharing these tips. This is good to know.

Oswald

Thursday 15th of June 2017

Thank you from Fiji island

Elizabeth

Thursday 15th of June 2017

You're very welcome! I hope the tips were helpful. :-)

Linda

Wednesday 15th of July 2015

Pinned to KIDS board. Good solid information! Thanks so much, Linda @Crafts a la mode

Shantel

Sunday 5th of July 2015

I hate it when my boys get bloody noses! Great tiop sand I know I'll use them...unfortunately ,lol!