Author: Susan K Allen / Editor: Jason Kendall / Reviewer: Jennifer Lockwood, Ciaran Mackle / Codes: / Published: 25/07/2022
A 7-year-old girl is brought into the emergency department (ED) by her mother on a busy Saturday afternoon after experiencing several nose bleeds at home over the preceding few hours.
During the previous week her mother had become concerned about her daughters reduced oral intake. A visit to the General Practitioner resulted in dietary advice.
Her attendance at school was good with no reported problems.
There is no significant past medical history, she is on no regular medications and is up to date with vaccinations.
On examination:
- She is fully alert and co-operative
- She has general pallor
- Pulse: 116 per/minute and regular
- Oxygen saturations: 100% on room air
- Temperature: 38oC BM: 5.7mmol/l
- Evidence of a previous epistaxis which had resolved with direct local pressure
- Cardiovascular and respiratory findings are normal
- There is some abdominal fullness on palpation in the left hypochondrium.
