Hemophilia

What is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia is a blood-clotting disorder. Clotting occurs when blood (liquid) turns into a solid to stop bleeding. Hemophilia cause you to bleed longer than you normally would. The biggest concern with hemophilia is internal bleeding or bleeding into joints. There is no cure for hemophilia but many people with the disorder lead normal lives.

What are the causes?

• Deficiency in a clotting factor – missing or low levels of clotting factors prevents blood from clotting
• A gene on the X chromosome (female chromosome) causes hemophilia so it is usually inherited from your mother. It is more common in males because males only have one X chromosome. Females have two X chromosomes so if a female only inherits one X chromosome with the hemophilia gene she will not have the disorder.

Treatments for Hemophilia:

• Clotting factors – either from blood donation or synthetic
• Medicines to increase clotting factors
• Treatment for joint bleeding or other problems associated with hemophilia

What can I do?

• Encourage your child to exercise regularly
• Consult a healthcare provider before giving your child any new medicines – even over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin and Advil can trigger bleeding.
• Protect your child from injuries that may cause bleeding

It is important to remember the health information found on this Web site is for reference only not intended to replace the advice and guidance of your health care provider. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a true medical emergency, call 911 immediately.