To wonder why a baby might have blood round their nose?

[sammyjammy]

I am just curious as to why a baby, no older than a year old, might have blood around their nose.

Could it be a medical condition?

I'm asking as I was in the supermarket yesterday and as I was walking through the isle, I saw a baby sat up in the pram with blood all around their nose. Some of it looked dried and some still bright red. The baby looked at me and just made a small whimpering noise.

I was very shocked and looked at who I assumed was the babies mother and she just glared at me. Maybe I had a shocked expression on my face, I don't know. But then I just walked away.

I felt a bit intimidated by the mother for some reason, so didn't want to mention her child was bleeding as if it was something medical I didn't want to come across rude.

Has anyone known of any medical condition from which a baby can have a bleeding nose?

I know she could have fallen or poked her nose etc but something just didn't seem right about it all.

I don’t even know what to say. If you think that a child might not be okay, you should say something!!!!

What could I have said ?

My 9 month old baby does today. Her nails are are sharp and she sticks her fingers up her nose.

Sounds like a nose bleed. I think you’re looking for problems where there aren’t any.

Surely first thought is a nosebleed. Which I'd also avoid wiping to some extent if it had started to dry so as not to make it start again.

When my dd was smaller her nose would bleed from when she cried the blood vessels in the nose would rupture as they are very sensitive. She did grow out of it and the doc reassured me that it often happens.

Remember just because a baby looks over 1 They might not be.... my DN is the same size as my dd but 6 months younger

Nose bleed? Scratch? Finger up the nose too far?

A simple nose bleed seems the most likely answer, and the mums glare may have been because she thought you were judging her.

My DD has had nose bleeds, usually at less than ideal times like in the supermarket or waking up covered in blood in the middle of the night.

Reasons include:

• Very dry weather
• Lots of crying
• Picking her nose too much
• Falling and bonking her nose.

I'd assume it was just a nose bleed. The mother probably glared because you looked at her baby with a funny look on your face

Ok thanks. I did think nosebleed as I get them when the weather is really cold.

Why would the blood be left on the babies face? Surely if your baby was having a nosebleed you would notice and clean them up. At least the area around the nose.

DD used to have nosebleeds (it was horrifying the first time I went to wake her up and she was covered in blood!) but they’re generally harmless.
Babies also have very sharp nails and can easily scratch their delicate skin if you don’t keep in top of it.
She probably gave you a dirty look because she wondered why you were frowning at her baby I’m judgement.

Nosebleeds happen very quickly and you could easily miss one for a bit.

Regarding not cleaning it up,it would depend on the circumstances.

I usually do the best job I can immediately while DD has a wad of tissue against her nose, soaking up the running blood.

Once the bleeding has stopped, i usually wait a while before doing a proper clean up, close to her nose. Just because experience tells me it might start up again, especially if her nose gets even slightly squeezed or wiggled when rubbing off the blood.

Even once fully clean there is usually a lot of dried blood stuck in the nostril so you end up with bloody bogeys for a while after.

She might not have had any wipes to hand if she was shopping. Or maybe it was sore to wipe with wipes so she was waiting til she got home. Jesus.

Maybe she didn't have a tissue and had forgotten her wipes. Maybe she was leaving it to stop bleeding and if she wipes it again it will start again. I wouldn't think twice about it.

Maybe it wasn't wiped through fear of setting off another? Sometimes you need to leave blood to clot and dry to stem the flow?

Well the mother either didn't want to wipe it straight away and make it bleed again or she doesn't have X-ray vision and can't see through the buggy...

My toddler DS gets nosebleeds frequently and the dried blood is very painful to wipe off, I have to soften it with a warm flannel first. It really hurts him if I try going at it with a cold baby wipe. Maybe she had a nosebleed in the shop and the mother cleaned it as best as she could without hurting her. I’d have been pretty cheesed off if someone had been clearly judging me, it’s stressful enough when DS has a nosebleed out and about.

You don't need x ray vision I thought it was reasonable to check on your baby from time to time!

Leukaemia

I can't say I particularly check my DC every five minutes they're in the buggy...

Could it be impetigo? That’s an infection that grows from the nose and it may look like fresh blood at first glance. But will also be scabby inside

@sammyjammy but it might have literally happened 5 minutes before. Do you have children op?

Yes I know about at least 1 serious medical condition that would cause these symptoms. So now you know.

My DD went through a phase of howling when a wipe went near her face - if she'd had a nosebleed in the supermarket I might have left it too.