home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- $Unique_ID{BRK00846}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{What Can be Done for Spontaneous Severe Nose Bleeds?}
- $Subject{bloody nose bleed bleeds child cause first aid Blood dryness crusting
- nasal passages conditions aspirin sensitive angiofibroma malignant tumor
- Hemophilia C von Willenbrand's disease Factor XI Deficiency Purpuric Leukemia
- hereditary Osler-Weber-Rendu}
- $Volume{D-6}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- What Can be Done for Spontaneous Severe Nose Bleeds?
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- QUESTION: Our son has severe nose bleeds. He doesn't fall or get into
- fights, but these bleeding spells appear to occur spontaneously and regularly.
- My husband and I are growing concerned, what can we do to help our son?
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: Most nosebleeds result from dryness or crusting in the front part of
- the nasal passages, or from the occasional playground slugout. However, there
- are conditions that can lead to chronic nosebleeds, and most can be identified
- and remedied.
- Some children may be particularly aspirin-sensitive, and must avoid
- aspirin-type compounds before and after tonsil and adenoid surgery. Other
- children, mostly boys, may suffer from juvenile angiofibroma, a malignant
- tumor that fills one of the nasal passages. Still others may have coagulation
- disorders that manifest themselves as nosebleeds, such as Factor XI Deficiency
- (also known as Hemophilia C), or von Willenbrand's disease. These last
- disorders can be remedied by administering plasma. Purpuric disorders (in
- which blood escapes into tissues below the skin) are treated with
- corticosteroid therapy. Leukemia and a hereditary condition known as
- Osler-Weber-Rendu disease can also cause nosebleeds. All of these conditions
- may account for only a small portion of the number of nosebleeds experienced
- by active young people, and may be diagnosed and treated by your physician.
- They are listed here for completeness sake and to make you aware that
- sometimes nosebleeds require medical attention.
- When your child comes home with a nosebleed, have him sit up in a chair,
- leaning slightly forward. Apply pressure to the nose by pinching the nostrils
- together using a thick, slightly damp washcloth, for between 7-10 minutes.
- This maneuver should stop the bleeding. An hour or two later apply some
- petroleum jelly deep inside the nostril against the cartilage that forms the
- dividing wall between the two sides of the nose, and wait until the next
- morning before cleaning the area with a moist washcloth. To play it safe,
- reapply, or teach your son to reapply petroleum jelly at bedtime for the next
- week. It provides a real protection for the fragile tissue which lines the
- nose. If nosebleeds do continue, consult your physician, who can provide more
- sophisticated treatment at his office or hospital if necessary.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-