Pediatric nosebleeds

What are pediatric nosebleeds?

Pediatric nosebleeds are common, but that doesn’t make them less scary for you or your child. Children tend to have nosebleeds more often than adults because the blood vessels in the lining of their nasal cavities are closer to the surface, making them more likely to rupture and result in a nosebleed.

In most cases, a nosebleed is not a serious condition, and most children grow out of having them. However, in rare cases, a nosebleed could be a sign of a more serious problem, such as a severe head injury.

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric nosebleeds?

The main symptom of a nosebleed is bleeding that comes from one or both nostrils of the nose.

What are the causes of pediatric nosebleeds?

The most common causes of nosebleeds in children include:

• A common cold that irritates the lining of the nasal passages
• Exposure to dry air that dries out the nasal passages
• Foreign body
• Injury to the nose
• Nose-picking
• Repeated nose-blowing
• Seasonal allergies
• Sinus infection

Rarely, a nosebleed is caused by a serious head injury, a tumor in the nasal passage or a bleeding disorder.