Nosebleeds: 11yo is having several a day, all of a sudden

[soyabean]

Does anyone have experience of this? Ds is 11, and until about 6 months ago had never had a nosebleed. But he started having a few and in the last two weeks has had at least one most days, today has just had his third. They start anytime, not when he's being active (one at 5 am this morning)He is very healthy and well in every other way.

Does he get hayfever? I used to get nosebleeds all the time when I was a child and ended up getting my nose cauterised (sp?). Take him to the GP.

DD2 has a friend with a tendency to nosebleeds - eg, in her case, while fast asleep in a tent in the middle of the night (aged 15-16, can't remember exactly.)

Don't know if this helps, or what her nosebleed history was, but although she seems OK currently (18 now) she also subsequently had a punctured lung 3 times, culminating in an op to seal up the problem, so I'd get him checked out by GP if I were you.

Thanks RRB (groovy name btw)He doesnt get hayfever. Perhaps I will take him to the GP..?

My DD had a lot of nosebleeds at one time and I took her to the GP, just to rule out anything else. He treated her with homeopathic tablets, which were great. She still has the occasional bleed but not as bad as they were.

A friend of mine went to the GP as he kept getting them and the GP said the lining of his nose was thinning as he obviously picked it too much!

I had this - it's easily fixed by cauterizing the spot. The doc told me its because some of us have a wonky middle bit of the nose (the division between your nostrils - don't know what it's called) and as we breathe it dries out and then eventually cracks. Nosepicking won't help, but it isn't the whole story, honest! Try putting some vaseline up the nostril to soften the skin so it cracks less.

I avoided having it cauterized for years because I thought it would hurt - eventually had it done before my wedding. Needless to say it didn't hurt at all. Wish I'd done it years ago! Go to the GP & see what they say.

Thanks everyone. I am a rare visitor to the gp surgery but it sounds like the general advice is that he should be seen. Meanwhile everytime he has one he rushes to the loo to get tissue and it ends up looking as if a mad axe murderer has been in there, splatters all over the place. Poor him, I cant really imagine what its like as Ive never had one myself

Eeek, I remember it hurt like hell when I had mine done, I always likened it to having a burning match stuck up my nose and sneezing for goodness knows how long afterwards and it was 25 years ago so it must have been bad!

my friends 5 year old dd had them she ended up spending one night in hospital as the bleeding wouldnt stop and was diagnosed with anaemia

I suffered from them as a child and still get an occasional one now.... causes for me were stress (therefore always during exams), heat (so more in the summer) and high altitude (when went on ski-ing trip had them a lot). Probably worth seeing a doctor to get him checked out. I agree that a bit of vaseline can help.

We went to the gp and he has a prescription for beconase so we are trying that for a week to see if there is any improvement. Ds2 aged three had his first nosebleed in the night a few days ago and tho he usually is a complete wimp about all things medical (screams at the idea of a plaster), he was supercool about the nosebleed and acted exactly as his elder brother does, so a very positive role model!