How many of your kids get nosebleeds?

[Pamster]

So I've just calmed down after Jackie and I were playing, and he mashed his face into my side-when he pulled away his face was all bloody! OMG I was instantly panicked. He's gotten nosebleeds before from picking too much, but this was just him being excited we were playing tickles and POOF he's ended up hurting himself. I was so scared, it wouldn't stop bleeding and we lost the clot twice because he blew out repeatedly.

It finally stopped bleeding, but I called the doctor and a nurse from the children's hospital called back. I had her on the phone while I was trying to get an ice pack on his face. I was so afraid his nose was broken but it's not. It's not black and blue yet and I figure it would be had he broken it. Honestly I was afraid we'd have to go to the ER and we still might have to if it starts up again more then twice, she advised us to go to the ER.

So how did you deal with your child's nose bleeds? Did you have to go to the ER or did you get it to stop on its own and it was okay? I was so scared and Jackie sat there laughing at the blood....I wanted to pass out, but you know you have to BE there 100% during a crisis so I fought the urge and won over it. Once the nurse called back it was better, having her there to talk to helped a LOT to calm me down.

[milivica]

I'm sorry Pam I have no ideas other than the usual ones...social stories before it happens again so he knows what he's supposed to do, or, could you fake a nose bleed (catsup?) so you can show him how to act? What to do, versus what not to do? I feel for you, it's just rotten you have to fear taking him to the ER.

I have no idea if this would apply to Jackie, but Vince used to get nose bleeds so often, it was unusual to go a whole day without one. Ya think one of the three docs I took him to, would have told me what to do - no, of course not. I mean he has autism so that must be ok that his nose bleeds every day. WTF. Well, after years, finally a doc said his veins in there were too big or too close to the surface? They chemically cauterized them, he had these chop stick looking things with black on the tip. Well, he's been bleed free since.

[Pamster]

WOw they had to cauterize the vessels there? Ouch! I don't know what we're going to end up doing with this if it happens again and I have a feeling it will this week because he just can't help himself but to mess with it. Hopefully things will work out and his nosebleed will not come back. It's been a few months since the last one. :)

[LIZARD]

My hubby and I both have ample experience with these nasty things. He was actually cauterized twice as a kid and still had them fairly often 'til a few years ago when he started using Ayr gel to keep his passages moisturized. Once I stopped taking aspirin (for headaches) with phenobarb (for epi) :rolleyes: :o, my nearly daily occurrences stopped.

If they are unusually heavy, contact the ped about them. There could be a med issue behind them, but it's more likely irritation that can be easily remedied.

LIZARD :)

[Isabelle]

he punched/kneed his nose so many times that i thought he was blood letting for excess iron, no it was the effect of the drugs but his perfect nose is now crooked, it looks like the nose of a pugilist. yes, we did take him to er, his head was x-rayed the nose was not broken, it was displaced, but he wouldn't take the bandage or close examination, at least no bones into his brain :( :(

[Pamster]

I think we're going to have to go see his former Ear Nose Throat Dr and see what they want to do because it's happened once before this since we've been here. And it really scares me. Did they have to put him under to cauterize his nose like that Lisa? If it happens again I definitely want to get it done....

I'm sorry Danny went through so much pain Isabelle, I really feel for you and your family for having been through so much. I hope he's doing better now. :)

[LauraP]

Sierra used to get these constantly, especially during spring and fall. I had expected more nosebleeds during winter (conditioned air is humidity controlled, and dry air saps moisture from mucous (hi Mili--look, mucous!) membranes, which makes the blood vessels in the nose more prone to leaking, yuck), but was really surprised by the seasonal relationship. I never pursued it, but suspect that high pollen count has something to do with it.

I have no proof of this, but suspect that her improved diet (we're all eating a lot more veggies and fruit, and drinking more water now, part of our counter-SuperSize Me approach to eating) has resulted in fewer incidents. She is also very calm about them, when it's happened (she used to continue to rub her nose, which of course, made it much worse, and looked like she'd been in a bar fight). She pinches the bridge of her nose now, and relaxes and it is over in a couple of minutes.

DH also has these from time to time, and he's a bleeder. He has an older brother, and the two of them broke each others' noses on occasion (DH swung a pair of binoculars into BIL's face once, when he was being chased around the dining room over something--a family favorite story), and both of them have nosebleeds. Maybe something genetic too? Really thin membranes? Being Scandinavian?

Mili, I think it's amazing that they chemically cauterized the blood vessels and that Vince managed to deal with that. It's not the most comfortable feeling, from what I have read. Please add that to my list of gross-outs:D

[Pamster]

I was going to ask if they put him out for that? I think that is the only way they are going to get to do Jackie's nose...But his Pediatrician confirmed today she felt that it was needed too, so that's the road we're going down...