World Hemophilia Day Celebrated Today

Does your child have frequent bruising? Urine coloring red or pink? Black bowel movements? Excessive bleeding? Needless to say, if your child experiences any of the above symptoms, please keep reading. We want to raise awareness about hemophilia. There’s no better time to talk about it than on World Hemophilia Day.

What Exactly Is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia A and B are often times passed down from parents and present at birth. Hemophilia is caused by a lesser level of one of the plasma proteins functioning as a clotting factor.

Let’s Talk About the Different Types

• About 25 percent of people who have hemophilia have a mild case. Your child’s case may be mild enough and go undetected. Bleeding can first occur after surgical procedures or trauma. Your child’s blood has some clotting factor, but don’t worry, they won’t excessively bleed.
• About 15 percent of individuals with hemophilia have a moderate case. Your child is more likely to have excessive bleeding after surgery and trauma. Spontaneous bleeding episodes can occur, though it may be a rare occurrence. Moderate hemophilia patients experience low levels of clotting activity in their blood.
• About 60 percent of individuals with hemophilia have a severe case. Sudden bleeding can be frequent often times in your children’s joints and muscles. Bleeding episodes are recurrent and can appear without cause. Joint bleeds can lead to chronic joint problems along with a loss in range of motion. Severe hemophilia patients experience little clotting factor activity.

How is Hemophilia Diagnosed?

If your child experiences any blood disorder symptoms, seek a medical professional, and a blood test can be taken. Clotting factors are found in this test and a doctor can provide a diagnosis.

How Is It Treated?

With infusions, symptoms can be cured. With proper care, pain can be reduced, joint complications can be prevented, and your child can resume doing things they love! The New England Hemophilia Center at UMass Memorial is a part of a national network of treatment centers. We are here to help.

My Child is Having a Bleeding Episode! Quick, What Do I Do?

Your first reaction might be to panic, but stay calm. The following four steps will help during any bleeding episode.

• Rest: Instruct your child to lie down quietly.
• Ice: Swelling and pain can be decreased along with tissue damage prevention. Ice should always be covered with a towel and only be placed on the area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Compression: By applying pressure to the site of bleeding it can reduce and eventually stop the bleeding.
• Elevation: Continued elevation will stop the bleeding. Prop the area of bleeding up on a pillow.

Be Proactive!

If you or a relative are diagnosed with hemophilia, or your child experiences any of the symptoms above, contact the New England Hemophilia Center at UMass Memorial today. Established in 1975, our Medical Center is the first federally funded comprehensive care center.

Learn more about the bleeding and clotting disorders we treat.