How to effectively, properly deal with kids' nosebleeds, for real

Every elementary school class I've ever sat in has had a token gusher. That kid whose face would explode, unprovoked, at least a few times a year. But more reliable than the micro-panic that ensued (face blood is unsettling), was the conflicting advice given (with authority mind you) by nurses, teachers and coaches to staunch the blood flow. Head back. Head forward. Between the legs. Stay standing. Take a knee. Pinch the bridge of your nose. Get an ice pack. The bloody-nosed kid patiently positioned throughout.

For all the token gushers out there, and their handlers, here are the definitive do's and don'ts of nosebleed care from Dr. Anna Messner, a pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat specialist at Stanford University Medical Center.

DO

Use a saline spray and a humidifier. Especially in the winter when indoor air is warmer and dryer. Winter is nosebleed season, so keep the nasal passageway hydrated as much as possible. Note: make sure your humidifier filter is pristine.

Pinch the nostrils. Forget the bridge near the eyes. It's all bone. Nasal capillaries most prone to rupture are at the bottom. Messner says, "It's just regular old first aid. If you have bleeding, you want to put pressure on the area that's bleeding." Pinch the nostrils closed, hold for a few minutes and slowly release.

Keep the head upright. No head between the knees. No tilting back. This favorite tactic turns a bloody nose into a bloody throat and, eventually, a bloody stomach. Both of which can increase your chances of dealing with a gagging and potentially puking child. Don't turn one problem into two.

DON'T

Apply vaseline to the inside of the nose with a cotton swab. I'd never heard of this, but there's no reliable information available that suggests this preventative aid works. Also, Messner is clear: jabbing a cotton swab up the nose, no matter how gingerly, can do more bad than good. Blood vessels and the already delicate nasal tissues don't need visitors.

Pick the nose. This one may be tough to control if you've a little digger on your hands. But "digital trauma" (actually medical term for aggressive picking) should be avoided, so suggest they opt for tissues and light nose blowing. Or at least keep nails trimmed and tidy.

Put ice packs on the neck or face. "It won't hurt anything, but it definitely won't help", says Messner. It doesn't slow blood flow by constricting blood vessels, or at least not enough to be useful. Next time you're managing a nose geyser, save yourself a run to the freezer and see the list of DO's instead.  

Nosebleed 101

Recurrent Epistaxis is medi-speak for "blood dripping from the nose regularly" ("Staxis" is from the Greek, to drip). And yes, this condition is most prevalent in kids. The two main causes are dry air and aggressive picking but other common causes for nosebleeds are allergies, aspirin use, hemophilia, sinusitis, the common cold and a good old-fashioned bop on the beak. The reason they're so common is that the nose is a metropolis of blood vessels and any breakage or tear is comparable to a compromised water pipe. Although an off-putting nuisance, nosebleeds are very rarely serious. They've only occasionally been linked to more worrisome conditions. If they're persistent, see a doctor to set your mind at ease.

The good news kids almost always outgrow face-faucetitis. So stay patient, invest in dark bed sheets and get yourself a good humidifier.

Marc Beaulieu is a writer, producer and host of the live Q&A show guyQ LIVE @AskMen.