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Children's health

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Original poster

DS2 has had seven (big) nosebleeds in two days - does anyone have experience to share?

29 replies

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 22:43

he's 6 yrs old, has always had some nosebleeds but just now it seems to have gone absolutely bonkers.

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Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:08

anyone?

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whomovedmychocolate · 29/12/2009 23:09

He may need his nose cauterising. I went through a stage of having them continually and they did this and it stopped, but he also needs a blood test to check if there is a reason he keeps getting them (there probably isn't btw).

Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:11

ello wmmc! good to see ya!
was the cauterising thing a straightforward one or did it involve surgery?

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LadyOfTheFlowers · 29/12/2009 23:12

I was getting worries a couple of night ago - DS1 (4) woke up absolutely covered in blood. He had had a nosebleed in the night from the left side.

Cleaned him up then right side started gushing about 2 hours later.

Has not had one since. Fingers crossed that's it.

Will watch thread - hope your DS is ok.

Mamazontopofsantabeingrude · 29/12/2009 23:15

DS has nosebleeds all the time. we have been to theh Dr's many times and have been given various steroid creams to try and thicken the nasal skin.

they hahve said that Cautorising is not something they like doing as it is quite difficult on young children.

the last guy we saw seemed to think it was some form of mild allergy and has given us and anti hystemine and a nasal spray. they seem to have worked as he hasn't had a bleed for about a month or so.

LastOfTheMulledWine · 29/12/2009 23:16

My brother always had them but all of sudden seemed to get them a lot. Every day at least, sometimes twice a day. He had his nose cauterised as nothing would stop it.

thatsnotmymonster · 29/12/2009 23:17

yes my good friend's little boy who I look after a lot was always having nosebleeds. Any slight knock to the nose/rough and tumble/jumping etc could start it off. He is nearly 5.

Anyway one day he had one and I just did the usual- give him a tissue to hold, sat him down etc except when I took tissue away he was pouring big clotted streams out his nose.
It was horrific but it did stop.

A few weeks later his mum told me he had had loads over a few days and one they couldn't stop- went to A+E and had his nose cauterised the next day.

It is basically just weakend blood vessels in the nose and they just seal them off.

Sometimes they will need it again a few years down the line but it does the trick in the meantime.

Has he had a cold recently- been blowing his nose a lot? That can do it.

Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:18

thanks lof
Interesting, mamazon.
wondered if it was anything to do with the fact that he has asthma and uses steroid inhalers daily, have no idea if that stands up now if steroid creams /sprays etc are prescribed to improve it. have to confess to being a bit confuddled.
Is it worth mithering the docs with?

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thatsnotmymonster · 29/12/2009 23:18

The cauterising only takes seconds so as long as he will stay still it should be ok.

whomovedmychocolate · 29/12/2009 23:18

It's not too difficult - they give you a nasal inhalation of oxygen and codeine which basically stuns you, then they stick a burning lolly stick up your conk - twice. Sounds horrific but I pissed myself laughing both times. Didn't hurt at all and cleared it up in four minutes.

Incidentally if a nose bleed continues for more than an hour you should head in to hospital as it may not stop (my record was 14 hours and I did lose enough blood to faint a few times). They pack your nose with bandages and then cauterise.

Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:20

thanks, monster - the picture sounds [unfortunately] familiar, blood everywhere...
was saying earlier "if this happens again tonight I'm off to A&E with him"

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Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:21

wmmc - now you are making me pmsl with your delightful description

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thatsnotmymonster · 29/12/2009 23:21

I think it might be as it can escalate as my friend's ds's did. Has the blood been streaming out in thick continous clots? (like loads of snot but actually blood?) and how quickly are you managing to stop them?

If it is like this and taking longer than 10-15mins to stop I would go to docs.

Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:23

last night was intermittent 2hrs. mostly huge clots after about 5 mins of pouring. I try to cool him, his hands and wrists, which appears to slow it down (well it shuts me up at least)
think we might have to get something done but didn't want to be a moaning mother

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thatsnotmymonster · 29/12/2009 23:24

A young child can lose a dangerous amount of blood through bad nose bleeds- if it carries on longer than say 40mins. So if they are not easy to stop within 15mins I would def get it checked out.

thatsnotmymonster · 29/12/2009 23:25

Have you tried ice pack on his nose as well? that helps too.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 29/12/2009 23:25

the word 'conk' or as DS1 (4) likes to say 'schnozz' just makes me roffle.

pinkteddy · 29/12/2009 23:30

dd aged 6 also gets them really badly, has done for a couple of years now. She goes through phases where they happen almost every other day. Then they stop for a bit and the whole cycle starts again.

Have been to GP a few times over the years, usually fobbed off with an antibacterial cream which does the trick for a bit, then they start again. However, we have now finally got a referral to ENT, dr says they will cauterise her nose in outpatients. Not looking forward to it tbh but hopefully will do the trick.

Original poster

gigglebells · 29/12/2009 23:30

right, will get him checked out. funny you should mention ice - I put an ice pack on the back of his neck during tonight's episode. he squawked at me so I had to take it off
we end up giving him lots of sugary tea (which is his favourite drink) to try and get the colour back into him. He must surely be anaemic by now, he is saying he feels 'drained' (incredible description for a 6yo imho)
starting to feel a tad guilty now. Will get him seen to asap

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AboardtheAxiom · 29/12/2009 23:32

Ooh interesting thread, DS has these too very familiar imagery of waking up covered in blood and thick clot streams of it for ages. I have never worried too much as I used to have them all the time as a child and just seemed to grow out of it so am hoping he does too. They really freak him out DS has a steroid inhaler....

alypaly · 30/12/2009 00:29

does he use any nasal sprays like beconase or nasonex,flixonase

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 30/12/2009 10:04

I was prescribed Nasonex to improve my nosebleeds but the doc did say that overuse can actually make them worse. I'm assuming that the steroid reduces the inflammation but overuse will weaken the blood vessels.

I've had mine cauterised several times. They often start when coming in from the cold to a warm environment, when I have a cold, air pressure when flying, a whole host of things.

alypaly · 30/12/2009 13:52

yes thats right saggar,the steroid thins the blood vessels in the nose and can cause more,worse nose bleeds.

OhYouMerryMerryKitten · 30/12/2009 17:50

dd got several very heavy nose bleeds a couple of months back when she had a nasty virus with high tem. Worst one was in middle of night with an asthma attack.

took an hour to get both under control but I didnt realise at the time how long it was, just seemed like minutes as I calmly tried to get everything back in control in the dark so that dd couldnt see the carnage around her.

In hind sight I should have called an ambulance.

She kept getting them for a few days then they went away again.

Original poster

gigglebells · 01/01/2010 23:42

alypaly he doesn't have any of those that you mentioned
he does have asthma though and as it's winter he's back on everything - bacotide 100 and salmeterol inhalers morning and evening, all via spacer. D'you think that steroid inhalers for asthma aggravate the situation? He was born with a wheeze and has had inhalers since he was 3 weeks old, but these days he can get off them for about 4 months in the middle of the summer.

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