A Doctor Answers: What Do I Do When My Kid Gets a Nosebleed?

Even though they are common, nosebleeds can be a bit alarming for kids and adults alike.

So, one viewer got the scoop from Dr. Ian Smith on what he recommends doing when a pesky nosebleed rears its ugly head.

Question: "My daughter's 10 years old and she's recently been having nosebleeds.Typically [they last] for a half hour to an hour. What I'm doing is either leaning her head back for the half hour or doing ice packs on it. But it's taking almost an hour for it to completely stop. Is there something else that I can do to make it stop sooner?"

— Samantha, viewer

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Answer: According to Dr. Ian, nosebleeds are extremely common, particularly in children from the ages of 2 to 10. Kids can traumatize their nasal passages, he says, as they blow too hard, pick their noses and clean a bit too roughly.

Most nosebleeds, he explains are completely fine, but if your kid is getting consistent nosebleeds, he recommends bringing them to the doctor to make sure nothing else is happening.

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But, contrary to convention, Dr. Ian advises NOT to tip the head back when there's a nosebleed, as, he says, that can lead to choking or send it into the stomach or airways.

"Go forward," he recommends, and hold the soft part of the nose for at least 5 to 10 minutes to stop the bleeding. If that's not enough, he says, try it again.

Watch Dr. Ian demonstrate in the video above!

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