NOSE BLEEDING AMONG KIDS

Bleeding through the nose  is common among the kids, usually in the age groups of 3 to 8 years. Most often it resolves on its  own , 

but when it becomes recurrent or frequent it can cause anxiety and stress among parents and the concerned  kid. 

WHY DOES IT BLEED  ? 

Nose bleed can be due to various causes. It can be from the front part of the nose( anterior) or from behind ( posterior).Anterior or front part of the nose is commonly involved in bleeding due to  plenty of blood vessels present there. 

CAUSES OF BLEEDING

Most common cause is drying of nasal mucosa( seasonal more during winter and summer) which lead on to crusting and nose picking thereby causing digital trauma. 

Other NASAL causes are nose rubbing, injury or trauma like blunt trauma, fracture to nasal bones or foreign body. 

It can also be due to inflammation and congestion  during an upper respiratory infection, nasal allergies or inflammation of blood vessels ( vasculitis) . Some structural abnormalities like deviation of nasal septum and hole or perforation in the septum can also cause bleeding. 

Tumours of the nose, whether it is benign or noncancerous like polyp, angioma, juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma(adolescent  boys with spontaneous recurrent bleeding ) or papilloma, or cancerous   tumours cause bleeding. 

Excess use or abuse of intranasal medications can also cause bleeding. 

Systemic or non nasal causes are bleeding disorders, abnormalities of the blood vessels, liver diseases, use of certain drugs and heamorrhagic fever like Dengue. 

WHAT  CAN BE DONE  ? 

Detailed history about any injury, allergy, foreign body, drug history to be taken and condition has to be assessed by examination of the nose and other ent areas along with systemic examination ( pallor , jaundice) 

INVESTIGATIONS has to be done especially if  nasal cause is not found. 

Minor bleeding  will stop on its own by simple compression( with open mouth breathing) . Any open wound may require ointment, sometimes lubrication in nasal drying, nasal packing or cauterization to stop the bleeding may also  be required. 

Bleeding in the age group of less than 2 years need thorough investigations. 

REASSURING THE PATIENT AND THE PARENTS  IS IMPORTANT. 

This topic was selected because  patients have been coming with bleeding mainly due to digital trauma and drying of the nose especially during winter and now during summer. Hope this post will  ease your worries.