Child's nose

Hi, my daughter is 2 1/2 and I had a question concerning her nose.  Her nose seems to have been doing this ever since she could rub it.  When she rubs her nose she rubs it back and forth.  When she does this it makes a popping sound when it goes back and forth, almost like the sound your joints make when they pop in and out.  She does not rub her nose really hard, maybe harder than I would though.  I had not really been concerned about this, until the other day when she rubbed it several times in a row and then it bled just a little bit from her one nostril.  Just wondering what your thoughts were and if I should be more concerned???  Thanks!

[Vivek V Gurudutt, MD]

Rubbing the nose vigorously can cause minor trauma to the lining of the nose and septum.  Some of these areas have many blood vessels that may lead to some minor bleeding.  More concern would definitely be warranted if there were recurrent bleeding or obstruction of her nasal passages.  If you are very worried, a simple exam in her nose by her physician may help alleviate any fears.  Also, if she has allergies and feels the need to rub her nose vigorously because of the itchiness, she may benefit from further investigation into controlling her allergies or something as simple as saline nasal spray.