Ex-paramedic issues warning over common nose bleed mistake that could prove dangerous
WHETHER from a tumble or a heavy cold, nosebleeds are part and parcel with childhood.
Most parents know the odd bloody nose is nothing to worry about and just set about tending to their little one.
But an ex-paramedic has warned that you might be making a crucial mistake when trying to ease your child’s nosebleed.
And it could your little one to vomit – or even breathe blood into their lungs.
The first thing many parents will do when blood starts pouring from their child’s nose is try to stop the flow.
How you do that is very important, according to Nikki Jurcutz, a former paramedic behind Tiny Hearts Education.
You should never tilt your little one’s head back if they have a bloody nose, she warned.
While doing that might appear to stop blood coming out of their nose, it doesn’t mean that blood has stopped gushing.
Instead, “tilting the head back could cause blood to run down the back of the throat and into the stomach,” Nikki told parents.
An accompanying video said blood can also flow into your tot’s lungs if you push their head backwards.
This can lead them to vomit or aspirate, according to the video.
St John Ambulance warned that blood trickling down your child’s throat could block their airway.
Here’s what you should do instead should your tot come running to you with blood dripping from their schnoz, according to Nikki.
- Sit your child upright
- Tilt their head slightly forward
- Use a finger and thumb to put pressure on the soft part of the nostrils for at least 10 minutes
Pinch the nose again for 10 minutes at a time if the bleeding hasn’t stopped, St John Ambulance advised.
It added: “Once the bleeding has stopped, ask them to keep leaning forwards while you clean around their nose with lukewarm water.
“Once clean, advise them to rest, avoid exertion or blowing their nose to prevent disturbing the clots.”
But if the bleeding is severe or hasn’t stopped after 30 minutes, you should call 999 or go to A&E, it went on.
Other reasons you should get your little one immediate help are:
- they’re swallowing a large amount of blood that makes you vomit
- the bleeding started after a blow to their head
- they’re feeling weak or dizzy
- they’re having difficulty breathing
The NHS advised you take your tot to a GP if:
- they are under two years old and have a nosebleed
- has regular nosebleeds
- has symptoms of anaemia – including a faster heartbeat, shortness of breath and pale skin
- they have a condition that means your blood cannot clot properly, such as haemophilia