Why does a child often have nosebleeds?

When a baby is bleeding from the nose, any mother begins to worry. But, fortunately, the reasons are not always very serious. It's just that the mucous membranes of a child are much thinner and more delicate than that of an adult. They are more easily irritated and damaged, hence the more frequent nosebleeds. If they occur less often than once a month and are not abundant, you can not worry. But when this is repeated regularly, it is imperative to find out the reasons why the child often has nosebleeds.

How it bleeds

Often, impressionable mothers believe that a child's nose is bleeding as soon as they notice blood streaks in the snot or red marks on crusts. Such phenomena are not at all a reason for panic and cannot be considered bleeding. Traces of blood in the mucus may be due to damage to small capillaries. And it is very easy to do this - it is enough for the baby to dig in his nose properly and even sneeze too much.

We are not considering such situations now - they are not a cause for great concern. We will talk about those cases when really often bleeding from the nose or in the morning in the child's nose constantly appears dense brown crusts (caked blood clots). The reasons for bleeding can be very different, and the blood can come from the front or back of the nose.

Bleeding from the front (nasal passages) is usually not very severe and the blood stops quickly. It is associated with damage to the thin capillaries located very close to the surface of the mucous membrane. Such bleeding is not dangerous; it can frighten the child more than cause serious harm. But if they are repeated often, then you still need to find out the reasons, since an infection easily penetrates the body through the blood, and a permanently injured mucous membrane can cause the formation of polyps and chronic inflammation in the nose.

Bleeding from the back of the nose is less common. They are painful and difficult to stop. In some cases, urgent medical attention is needed. And the reasons that cause it are much more serious: they are injuries, infections, diseases or anomalies in the structure of the nose.

Such bleeding does not go away on its own. We'll have to go to the hospital, pass the necessary tests and eliminate what causes them.

Anterior bleeding

Let's consider in more detail the reasons that can cause anterior nosebleeds in a child:

Viruses or infections. Inflammation and loosening of the nasal mucosa. If a severe runny nose is added to this, then the capillaries are easily damaged, and blood flows.
Mucosal injury. All children love to dig in their noses with their fingers. If the mother did not cut the child's nails in time or did not do it carefully enough, the mucous membrane is scratched and bleeds.
Dry air. With insufficient air humidity, the mucous membranes dry out quickly. At first, this is compensated by the abundant secretion of snot, but if the air remains dry further, then the mucous membranes crack and blood flows.
Vasoconstrictor drops. It is necessary to use these drugs only as directed by a doctor, not exceeding the dosage indicated in the instructions. With the abuse of vasoconstrictor drops, the mucous membranes become thinner, atrophy and very easily injured.
Curved nasal septum. It is the cause of the constant accumulation of mucus and chronic inflammatory processes in the nose, as a result, the mucous membranes are loosened and become vulnerable.
Polyps, angiomas, angiofibromas. Types of benign lesions caused by the proliferation of small vessels or mucous membranes. In adolescence, they often disappear on their own, but sometimes treatment is required.
Fluctuations in hormonal levels. May be natural or due to the use of hormonal drugs. Lead to a change in blood viscosity.
External stimuli. Strong odors, exposure to chemicals, dust and dirt particles irritate mucous membranes and make them more sensitive.
Overvoltage. In children with very thin capillaries or capillaries close to the surface of the mucous membrane, blood from the nose can flow during an attack of coughing or sneezing.
Differential pressure or air temperature. It is accompanied by a sharp expansion or spasm of the capillaries, which can lead to bleeding.
High blood pressure. Under its influence, the capillaries burst, and blood flows from the nose. This is rare in children.
Blood clotting disorders. An inherited disorder, hemophilia, is rare. But blood thinning is also caused by: anemia, oncology, some liver diseases, leukemia.

Since the blood does not flow too much with anterior bleeding, you should not use cotton swabs to stop it.

Usually, it is enough to lower your head down and lightly press the bridge of the nose on both sides with two fingers. If you regularly use tampons, then they can cause frequent bleeding.

When tight tampons are inserted into the nose, they pinch the capillaries, and the blood does not flow. But at the same time, the already damaged nasal mucosa is injured again. This happens all the time, and the only way to break this vicious circle is to improve the condition of the mucous membrane using folk methods or the use of pharmacy drops.

Posterior bleeding

Posterior bleeding occurs less frequently, but it is more difficult to stop and the causes are usually much more serious. Therefore, it is imperative to find out them in order to avoid the development of various complications. The most common cause of posterior nosebleeds in children is nose trauma.

In case of injury, you must first stop the blood as soon as possible, and then carefully examine the nose. If severe swelling has developed, the shape of the bridge of the nose is changed, there is a wound on the nose, then it is better to consult a doctor and take an X-ray to make sure that there is no fracture.

Other causes of severe posterior nosebleeds include:

Surgical intervention. Sometimes, after undergoing operations, bleeding opens again. The reason may be unsuccessful sutures, active physical activity, blood thinning, increased pressure. A consultation with a doctor is necessary.
Foreign body. If a solid foreign body enters the nose, it can severely injure the mucous membrane and damage the blood vessels. Removing it yourself is dangerous - a specialist will do it much faster.
Chemical burn. The mucous membrane of the child is so delicate that a chemical burn can even be caused by improperly selected nasal drops (for example, alcohol tinctures), essential oils, and household chemical vapors (ammonia, chlorine, etc.).
Oncological diseases. The growth of the tumor causes squeezing and inflammation of adjacent tissues, which often causes profuse bleeding. Chemotherapy increases capillary fragility and thins the blood.

Sometimes blood from the nose begins to run strongly due to bleeding that has arisen in other organs (gastric, pulmonary). It can be one of the symptoms of myocardial infarction. In children, such cases are extremely rare, but you need to be aware of such a possibility.

What to do?

When a child has nosebleeds, the main thing is not to panic. The first thing to do is to pull yourself together so as not to scare the baby even more. He is already upset and frightened by the sight of blood. It is necessary to explain to him that nothing terrible is happening and now everything will pass. If the baby cries a lot, the extra stress will only increase the bleeding.

Then you need to take measures to stop the blood faster:

sit the child on the edge of a chair or stool and ask him to tilt his head down;
pinch the nostrils and the lower part of the bridge of the nose with your fingers (not very hard!) and hold for 5-10 minutes;
ask the child to breathe in and out calmly through the mouth, try to breathe evenly;
if the blood continues to run without unclenching your fingers, gently blot it with a clean napkin;
after 5-7 minutes, you can apply ice or a bottle of cold water to your nose.

Cold should not be applied for a long time - severe hypothermia can cause a runny nose or nasal inflammation. As soon as an unpleasant sensation of extreme cold appears, remove the ice, and apply again after 5 minutes. If, despite the measures taken, the blood does not stop, a doctor should be called.

Prevention of nosebleeds

Since one of the main causes of severe nosebleeds is trauma, it is necessary to take all possible measures to avoid them: do not leave small children unattended, monitor the child during traumatic games, try to explain the principles of personal safety.

It is very important to strengthen the child's immunity in every possible way, so that he rarely catches colds and gets sick with viral respiratory diseases. If the baby is still ill, then the runny nose must be treated to the end. Otherwise, over time, chronic inflammatory processes develop, which become the cause of hypersensitivity of the mucous membranes.

It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness and humidity of the air in the room where the child spends a lot of time and sleeps. Periodically it is necessary to inspect the room for subject to the presence of allergens and strong irritants. The nursery should not contain: household chemicals, strong-smelling plants and ferns, perfumery products (not intended for children).

If there are pets, their fur should be vacuumed regularly. Wet cleaning is done at least every other day, because dust is one of the most common allergens. Prevention and antifungal treatment of the air conditioner is carried out at least twice a year.

No less important is a well-organized baby's day regimen. Not getting enough sleep and fatigue can weaken your immune system and can cause your blood pressure to rise. But if all of the above measures are taken, and the child's nose bleeds often anyway, it is necessary to seek medical help.