General Pediatrics, the University of Chicago

Yingshan Shi, MD (773) 702-6169 09/00, 08/03

Nosebleeds (Epistaxis)

What is a nosebleeds?

It is common for a child to have a nosebleed. The common causes of nosebleed:

· Rubbing or picking the nose when it is blocked, itchy, or dry and blowing the nose too hard

· Cold, allergies, and foreign body inside of noses.

· Breathing very dry air

To stop a nosebleed:

• Sit child up, loose the clothing around the neck, and ask the child to breath through the mouth
• Then tightly pinch the soft parts of the nose against the center wall together for 5 to 10 minutes.
• If it hasn't stopped after 10 minutes, put some petroleum jelly on a piece of gauze, then put the gauze into the nostril.
• Squeeze again for another 10 minutes. If it still doesn't stop bleeding, call your child's doctor right away.

To keep from getting nosebleeds:

• Keep the child's fingers out of the nose, ask the child not to blow his/her nose.
• Use nasal saline spray twice a day
• Apply Petroleum jelly in the nostrils twice daily to stop dryness.
• Use a vaporizer or humidifier to increase the moisture in your child's room, especially at night.
• Treat nasal allergies