Toddler (21/2) W/reoccuring Bloody Nose

Updated on August 25, 2010
K.A. asks from Pittston, PA
20 answers

My 2 1/2 year old daughter just started getting bloody noses now and then. They were just minor until last night. I woke up around 4am and saw a large blood spot (softball size) on the sheets. I became frightened because it looked as if it were all around her mouth which it was not. It just happened while she was sleeping sometime and I guess ran down her face. I contacted my doctor and they said there isnt much you can do unless it starts to happen alot. They sau=id to use some Vaseline and hopefully it will stopo once I am able to turn off my heat completely since that is very dry. I had a history of bloody noses when I was little (very bad bloody noses) but not this little. I just feel very worried 2 1/2 is so young! Any advice is very appreciated! Anyone else w/children that get bloody noses??

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So What Happened?

Well it has been 1 year later. The bloody noses stopped for that time, but guess what.....the heat is back on and last night the bloody nose again is back. It didnt last very long but it was a bad one! Soooo now I am on the search for the best humidifier that I can find. I am looking for a floor model for my downstairs. Any suggestions is really appreciated!

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M.R.

answers from Scranton on

My daughter had them mild younger than 2 years old she was only about 18 months and hers became severe we were in and out of the er over it. Vaseline and have you tried running a humidifier?

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M.L.

answers from Burlington on

Hi. My name is M. and my son suffers from the same thing! He actually started around 2 yrs. old. Last year he went to an E.N.T. and he suggested a nose cauterization. We went ahead and did it and it almost stopped them completely, for awhile. In the past couple of months he has started getting them more frequently and a little longer. It still is nowhere near what it once was. Before the E.N.T. we had been to see an allergist (who gave him Bacitracin to put in his nose) and his regular doctor and nothing seemed to help. They had him on things like Flonase, Nasonex and now singulair (although he was only found to be allergic to alternaria mold) but one of the side effects for the nasal sprays is, yup, you guessed it, bloody noses! Talk about frustrating! Add to that he started getting major sinus infections at around the same time he started getting his nose bleeds, sometimes 4-5 or more in a year. I now have him on a homeopathic saline nasal spray. It is called Healthy Relief Cold and Sinus Nasal Mist and is non-habit forming. He can use it as often as he needs to and he's even used it to flush out his nose when his bloody nose is just about done. I don't know why it helps/works but it seems to really help him. I just keep a good supply of hydrogen peroxide on hand for cleaning the blood off his clothes and bedding or whatever he might bleed on. I hope some of this helps and I wish you the best of luck! If you want to "vent the frustration" you can e-mail me anytime. Believe me, I know what you're going through. Keep smilin'!

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G.C.

answers from Rochester on

Don't worry. My son, also 2, always gets bloody noses here and there. It's completely normal for small children to get them. They're just more sensitive to dry heat/air than we are. Besides vaseline, you can just get a small humidifier for your daughter's room. Just put it on for a few hours when you put her down to sleep. It'll let steam out so the air won't be so dry in there. It should help. Good luck.

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H.V.

answers from Jamestown on

Take her to the doctor or the hospital. she may need some medicine. My oldest son had this happen and he passed a huge clot one night and I took him to the hospital and he needed medicine and then it cleared up right away. I can't remember what it was though.

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J.D.

answers from Burlington on

Hi K.,
I have a nephew who has very bad bloody noses. His parents were told to put vaselene on the inside of his nose too, to keep it from getting too dry. My nephew had to have the blood vessels in his nose caterized(not sure if spelled right). He has had a few bloody noses since, but not as bad I don't think. They still use the vaselene to help. Also you could try getting a humidifier for your daughters room to help put moisture in the air. Hope this helped.
-J.

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D.A.

answers from Utica on

My son gets the same thing. He is now 5 and they have subsided. My Husband would panic because the would last a good 15-20 min. The vaceline will help. Make sure you do it b4 she goes to bed. Saline will help soften during the day as well. I also run a cool mist vaporizer or open the window a crack. It seems to help. No worries stay strong. best of luck
D.

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C.D.

answers from Buffalo on

Hi K.,
My son now 15 suffers from the same thing.I remember one day about 6 years back we were standing in the bank and out of nowhere his nose just started bleeding very badly and a HUGE clot came from his nose. It's very very scary.He also has had many sinus and allergy issues. Mostly seasonal. Once he was plugged up so bad he could not hear out of his right ear for two weeks, it was plugged so badly. So once again he was put on claritin and Nasonex, which by the way does not help with bloody noses, it can cuase them. Now that we are in our own home and we do not have forced air for heat, his nose bleeds have pretty much subsided.We have a boiler and hot water for heat. It's been a blessing for my son that's for sure. Cauterization is an option if it gets too bad. Also alot of people tend to tilt there head back when they get a nose bleed, that is HUGE NO NO. Instead try applying pressure to the bridge of his nose for twenty minutes. It works wonders. Also as everyone else has mentioned a cool air humidifier works well. Good luck and hopefully it is something she outgrows!

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J.L.

answers from Glens Falls on

I was told by my babysitter, whose son is constantly having bloody noses, that you should take a small rolled up paper towel and put it under the upper lip(inside the mouth). Her son has a thin lining in the nose that the only other option is to have it cauterized.

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D.S.

answers from Albany on

Is there any chance you (or she) may be allergic to milk? NOT lactose intolerant but allergic to the milk protein. Any severe headaches ever accompany your nosebleeds?

My boyfriend has had these symptoms since childhood and I don't know why no one investigated further then but he is allergic to milk and milk products or anything with milk proteins (i.e. - most cold cuts). Once we removed these from his diet his nosebleeds are rare (3-4 a year vs. 3-4 a week) and all headaches are either obvious stress, pollen allergies, or he had a sub for lunch.

Just an idea....

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K.M.

answers from Syracuse on

My oldest son is 6 and he has been getting bloody noses during the night for a long time now. I don't remember what age they started. The dry air definately contributes, and there really is no cause. Your daughter most likely inherited this from you. I don't know what you mean about using vaseline, but there really isn't anything you can do. She'll eventually out grow it. Plus it's warm enough now that you can turn off the heat. You could get a cool mist humidifer and run it in her room every night. That helps my son sometimes, but not always.

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J.A.

answers from Syracuse on

We had a wood stove growing up and I used to get them bad. I had to sleep with a humidifer and at times i'd use vaseline lightly.

If they happen alot there tends to be a rupture vessel they can cauterize.. nto fun, but effective.. I've known a few who did so.

Biggest thing I can reccommend is the humidifer.. cool mist for safety!!!

Rememeber when they get the bloody noses to lean the head forward, NOT back.. and if it needs to slow faster use a cold pack on the neck wrapped in a towel.. I'm not a doctor or anything..and I dont' claim to be, but I will say that is the best method.

Also make sure she is hydrated during the day as well!!

Good luck!!! I know that is a toughie!! I had to use the mositure and just out grow them!

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K.B.

answers from Burlington on

K.,
Well i dont know where you live but im way up here in the north country NewHampshire and its getting warm here so we dont need heat at night but like you i have heat that makes it very dry in here soo the best thing i can sudgest if it is not to cold where u are right now leave the heat off in her room if thats possible and just make sure she have more covers a cool room is better for a child then a room too warm and if it is to cold then put a hunidifier in her room and that should stop the nose bleeds,but if it continues then i would get a second opinion.Good luck with that and i hope my advice helps take care
K.

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J.M.

answers from Burlington on

If it's from dryness, why not get a humidifier? You could even do steams, which is boiling water, pouring it into a bowl, and letting her breath in the steam directly. My 2 1/2 year old and I did steams all winter. We put in eucalyptus leaves and/or lavender flowers or essential oils because they have some healing qualities and smell good. Just make sure her face is not too close to the steam because it gets hot.

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J.B.

answers from Albany on

Hi K.! When I first moved to NY a few years ago I started getting bloody noses. My husband and I lived in Florida and of course the humidity is much higher there. I started sleeping with a humidifier on every night. This solved the problem until my nose was able to adjust! I did this for almost a year. Heat played a major role as well and it takes any moister out, so I would definitely keep that off if I were you! Hope this helps:)

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W.Y.

answers from Scranton on

All of my pillows are stained...the bathroom rug is dotted. Sometimes they wake...sometimes not, and they are 10-12-14 now. They never bleed out! I use polysporin on a q-tip in very dry weather with relief. W.

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K.O.

answers from Utica on

If the bloody nose is from dry air, try running a humidifer in her room at night to moisten the air. My son is almost 3, and it happened to him at night just twice. In the morning he had dried blood all over his pillow, face, and the back of his hands. I know it is kinda scary to see that. But just remember it isn't painful, and maybe like just like when you were young, she has thin membranes in her nose that rupture easily.

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R.R.

answers from Burlington on

Hi K.,

I'd offer that you check out Dr. Darren's website: www.infiniteloveandgratitude.com Perhaps there is an imbalance in your daughter that is manifesting as nosebleeds... if it's merely due to dryness becuase of a heating system then the humidifier should stop them pretty quickly... if that's not the issue I'd look to see what else is going on...

Let me know if you want any additional information. Good Luck! ~ R.

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C.B.

answers from New London on

if it seems xtreme 2u goto the dr

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A.G.

answers from Roanoke on

I also have a child who gets these fluke bloody noses she is she is nearly 27 months old and twice this month she has woken up with bloody sheets, pillow case, clothes and face, with the first one I was alarmed but she had just gotten over a sinus infection so we wern't too conserned. This morning however, when I went in to get her up her face was absolutly covered in dried blood. this time it didn't seem to have a cause but both times I can remember hearing a strange popping sound comming from her room, no other noises I don't even know if it woke her up. both times she slept in rather late,(this morning I got her up at 11.) Do you think that this could be connected?

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S.P.

answers from Scranton on

It could be caused by alot of different things. I guess your doctor is waiting to see if it is the heat causing it. If it is your heat, a humidifier would stop it. I don't know why your doctor wouldn't recommend one, if he thinks that is the problem. I wouldn't worry if you had the same thing when you were little, and you survived. I would definitely try a humidifier though.
Stress can also cause bloody noses. In that case a humidifier wouldn't work. You would probably want to try to limit the childs stress, or find out what is the major cause of it.
It can also be a sign of something more serious. In that case you would want to find out what is causing the bloody noses as fast as you can. It would seem that it probably isn't anything serious though, since you had the same trouble, it probably is an inherited problem, that can simply be solved.

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