$Unique_ID{BRK00846}
$Pretitle{Blood and Blood Forming Organs}
$Title{What Can be Done for Spontaneous Severe Nose Bleeds?}
$Subject{nose bleeds child cause first aid}
$Volume{D-6}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Can be Done for Spontaneous Severe Nose Bleeds?


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QUESTION:  Our son has severe nose bleeds.  He doesn't fall or get into
fights, but these bleeding spells appear to occur spontaneously and regularly.
My husband and I are growing concerned, what can we do to help our son?

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ANSWER:  Most nosebleeds result from dryness or crusting in the front part of
the nasal passages, or from the occasional playground slugout.  However, there
are conditions that can lead to chronic nosebleeds, and most can be identified
and remedied.
     Some children may be particularly aspirin-sensitive, and must avoid
aspirin-type compounds before and after tonsil and adenoid surgery.  Other
children, mostly boys, may suffer from juvenile angiofibroma, a malignant
tumor that fills one of the nasal passages.  Still others may have coagulation
disorders that manifest themselves as nosebleeds, such as Factor XI Deficiency
(also known as Hemophilia C), or von Willenbrand's disease.  These last
disorders can be remedied by administering plasma.  Purpuric disorders (in
which blood escapes into tissues below the skin) are treated with
corticosteroid therapy.  Leukemia and a hereditary condition known as
Osler-Weber-Rendu disease can also cause nosebleeds.  All of these conditions
may account for only a small portion of the number of nosebleeds experienced
by active young people, and may be diagnosed and treated by your physician.
They are listed here for completeness sake and to make you aware that
sometimes nosebleeds require medical attention.
     When your child comes home with a nosebleed, have him sit up in a chair,
leaning slightly forward.  Apply pressure to the nose by pinching the nostrils
together using a thick, slightly damp washcloth, for between 7-10 minutes.
This maneuver should stop the bleeding, an hour or two later apply some
petroleum jelly deep inside the nostril against the cartilage that forms the
dividing wall between the two sides of the nose, and wait until the next
morning before cleaning the area with a moist washcloth.  To play it safe,
reapply, or teach your son to reapply petroleum jelly at bedtime for the next
week.  It provides a real protection for the fragile tissue which lines the
nose.  If nosebleeds do continue, consult your physician who can provide more
sophisticated treatment at his office or hospital if necessary.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
