Newborn Care – Nose

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds are most common in children age 3 to 10, but can also occur in infants and newborns. Most nosebleeds are not serious and can be stopped by applying light pressure to both nostrils for 5 to 10 minutes. In cases where the bleeding does not stop, you should contact your doctor or take your baby to the nearest emergency department.

What to do to stop a nosebleed

  1. Sit your baby up straight.
  2. Tilt your baby’s head slightly forward
  3. Gently hold pressure on both sides of the nose for 5 to 10 minutes
  4. After pinching the nose for this long, check if the bleeding has stopped
  5. If it has not stopped, repeat pinching for 5 to 10 minutes
  6. If it still does not stop, call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department

Causes and preventing nosebleeds

There are several causes of nosebleeds including:

  • Dry air
  • Nose picking
  • Allergies

To prevent nosebleeds, several steps may be taken:

  • Run a cool mist humidifier in your child’s room if the air is dry (from climate or home heating)
  • Teach your baby not to pick their nose
  • Do not wipe your baby’s nose too hard
  • Be gentle when suctioning boogies from your baby’s nose

Stuffy or runny nose

Your baby may have a stuffy (congested) or runny nose due to different causes. It can be caused by a cold, an infection, or allergies.

Signs & Symptoms

  • Baby sniffing or sneezing with abundant mucus present
  • Mucus drainage from baby’s nose
  • Difficulty breathing, especially during feeding

Treatment

  • Suction bulbs may be used to gently suck out the mucus from your baby’s nose.
    • Only place the tip of the bulb in your baby’s nose. Do not push the tip up the nose farther.
    • Be sure to clean the suction bulb with soap and hot water after each use.
  • Saline nasal drops or spray can help loosen mucus to make suction easier.

Foreign Body in Nose

Your baby will be very active and exploring their new and exciting world in many different ways. Things can become lodged in a baby’s nose due to curiosity on their part, or by accident with parts of tissues and toilet paper ripping and becoming stuck in the nostril. When this happens, you may see an increase in boogies draining from the nose, as well as your child fussing with their nose or showing signs of pain.

Signs & Symptoms

  • Increased mucus and runny nose from only one nostril
    • May be bright yellow, green, or bloody
  • Constant fussing with nose
  • Pain in the area of the nose
  • Difficulty breathing

Treatment

Your doctor will look in your child’s nose with the use of an otoscope to look for the cause of the problem. If they locate a foreign body, they may try to remove it using tweezers or forceps. If the foreign body is too large, a specialist may be needed.