It is very scary to see blood coming out of your child’s nose. You would feel panicky and immediately think of rushing your child to the doctor.

Though it may not seem like it at that moment, it is very common for children to suffer from nose bleeding. This can happen in extreme summers or in dry winter months as well. The blood vessels inside the nose are very delicate and can rupture easily due to change in temperature. Although a nosebleed can occur at any age, children between the ages of 2-10 are most susceptible to it. So, mommies take a breath and don’t think that the worst is going to happen.

Also Read: 5 Best Nasal Drops for Kids

How to stop a nosebleed:

• Make your child sit up straight and tip his head slightly forward.
• DONOT tilt your child’s head back. While this may sound contradictory, it is important to tilt head forward.
• This is because this may cause the blood to run down the back of the throat, and child may swallow the blood.
• Now use your thumb and fingers to firmly pinch your child’s nose shut.
• Keep the nose pinched for a full 10 minutes and ask child to breathe through nose. Don’t peek after a few minutes to see if nose has stopped bleeding in between.
• Only check to see if nose is still bleeding after 10 minutes. Most nosebleeds will stop after 10 to 20 minutes of direct pressure. If it doesn’t then take your child to the doctor.

Note: If your child is too small to understand breathing through the nose, then do the pinching at small intervals. It may be difficult but you need to ignore child’s crying and keep pinching. Blood clotting takes time and you need to be patient. Distract the child and make him sit in an upright position with the head tilted backward.

Most nosebleeds are harmless and can be taken care of at home itself. If your child’s nose bleed doesn’t stop within 15 minutes then it is time to visit the doctor. Before we see the home remedies for treating nosebleed, let us understand why they happen in the first place.

Also Read: Colic: symptoms, reasons and home remedies to treat the colic in babies

What are the causes of Nose-Bleeding?

• Picking the nose vigorously: Many toddlers have this habit. It is difficult to control, but try to distract your child whenever he/she begins to pick the nose.
• Injuries on the nose: Children are super active and can easily injure their nose resulting in a nosebleed.
• Sneezing: Sometimes a very strong sneeze or and blowing the nose too hard can cause bleeding.
• Inhalation of ammonia: It is advisable to keep all harmful chemicals out of reach of kids.
• Allergies: Seasonal allergies and irritation in the nose can cause bleeding.
• Uncontrollable cold or extreme heat: Sudden climate change can rupture the blood vessels inside your child’s nose which are very delicate.
• Sinusitis
• Change in one’s altitude
• Nasal surgery
• Blockage of the nasal passage with foreign particles
• Nasal infections
• Side effects of anti-inflammatory medicines
• Excessive strain on the nose due to constipation

Symptoms of Nose-Bleeding

Most of the times, a nose-bleed starts inside the nose but you don’t get to know till the blood spills out. Here are some of the probable symptoms of a nose-bleed that are felt beforehand:

• Swelling inside the nose and cheeks
• Sensation of a fluid in the nose and/or throat
• Reddish brown colored mucus inside the nose

An occasional nosebleed is harmless but if a child gets nose-bleeding more than twice a week, he/she must be taken to an E.N.T specialist for further investigation of the problem. When children get a nose bleed, most moms look for home remedies. Home remedies can easily cure the occasional nosebleed without having to visit the doctor.

Also Read: 25 Effective Home Remedies To Treat Cold And Cough in Babies & Kids (3 months to 3+ years)

Home Remedies for Treating an occasional Nose-Bleed:

#1. Cold Press with ice

This is the most effective way to stop a nosebleed as the cold temperature shrinks the blood vessels of the nasal passage and this slows down the flow of blood. Make your child sit upright and press a few cubes of ice wrapped in a cloth, on the nose. You can also apply an ice pack.

#2. Rinse with Saline Water

Saline water is very helpful for clearing a blocked nose. You can rinse the child’s nose with saline water to get rid of any blockage. It will help to decrease the irritation of the membranes of the nose and also calm the inner linings of the nose along with adding some moisture to it. Just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1/2 cup water, mix well and put 2-3 drops of it into each nostril.

#3. Apply basil water

Basil, holy basil or Tulsi is one of the most effective medicinal herbs of India and it acts as a tonic for the nerves of the nose. It also removes the phlegm from the bronchial tubes and soothes the nerves. Squeeze the water from a few basil leaves and apply 1-2 drops on each nostril.

#4. Put lemon juice

This might sound awful but lemon juice is a great natural remedy to control nose-bleeding. Lemon juice has a very amount of Vitamin C and it helps to toughen the blood capillaries inside the nose. Take a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice and put 2-3 drops in each of the nostrils.

#5. Nasal Drops

In case you are not able to get Tulsi or lemon juice, then use nasal drops are the best option. They can easily be carried anywhere and applied into the nostrils. During extreme climates like summer and winter, it is a good preventive measure to keep putting a couple of drops of nasal drops in your child’s nose everyday.

Buy nasal drops here.

Once the bleeding stops, educate the child that he/she should not pick the nose or blow it to hard else it might start bleeding again. During very hot summers and even in winters, run a humidifier in your child’s room. The humidifier will reduce dryness in the environment and help to prevent nosebleeds.

Buy humidifier here

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