British Red Cross: First Aid for Family Safety Week

British Red Cross: First aid for Family Safety Week

The first week of April is Family Safety Week and to highlight the event, we have looked at the common childhood first aid emergency of nosebleeds. Air conditioning, wild outdoor adventures, and the classic nose-picking, can all increase the risk of nosebleeds. But there’s no need to worry as they aren’t usually serious.  

Here’s how to help if a child in your care has a nosebleed: 

1. Pinch the soft part of their nose and ask them to lean forward. 

Pinching the nose helps the blood to clot. Leaning forward stops blood going into the airway or stomach.  
Ask them to breathe through their mouth and to spit out any blood into a tissue or bowl. 

2. Continue to pinch the soft part of their nose for ten minutes and if necessary, repeat this for two further periods of ten minutes. 

3. Seek medical attention if the bleeding continues for more than half an hour or if you have other concerns, such as the child having underlying medical conditions, or the nosebleed being the result of a bang to the head. 

Paediatric first aid training

Our two-day EYFS compliant first aid course is ideal for people who work with young children, such as nursery staff or childminders. Book online today!

Don't forget, if you're a Morton Michel policyholder you can get 10% discount on the British Red Cross' paediatric training courses through our exclusive ChildCare Club. Find out more here.

Please note, the information in this article is provided by the British Red Cross and does not represent the views or opinions of Morton Michel.