Children may inherit certain types of disorders from their parents. Haemophilia is one such genetic disorder affecting children. This blood disorder is common among children. There are chances that children will get affected by the disease even without a family history. Children affected by haemophilia suffer from uncontrolled bleeding due to low blood clotting factors. Haemophilia in children is common and leads to various problems. The article lists the different forms of haemophilia, its causes, symptoms, complications, diagnosis and treatment.
Haemophilia is a rare genetic disorder that affects men, women and children. This lifelong disorder leads to several complications. Children who have haemophilia suffer uncontrolled bleeding after an injury or cut. There is no cure for haemophilia, making it a critical health disorder.
Based on the severity of the condition, haemophilia falls under three categories.
● Mild Haemophilia: This occurs when the clotting factor level is between 5% and 40%, and there is a lower chance of spontaneous bleeding.
● Moderate Haemophilia: When the clotting factor level is between 1-5%, you suffer from moderate haemophilia. You may also suffer from spontaneous bleeding with moderate haemophilia.
● Severe Haemophilia: Children with less than 1% clotting factor levels fall under severe haemophilia. It is expected to experience spontaneous bleeding in this condition.
When there is low-level clotting factor protein in the blood, you will likely have haemophilia. There are other rare forms of haemophilia involving different factors, but types A and B are the most common. Type A, one of the most common ones, occurs when you do not have enough clotting factor 8, which is factor VIII and Type B occurs when you do not have enough clotting factor 9, which is factor IX.
As mentioned earlier, haemophilia is a genetic disease or inherited disorder that affects children due to the chromosome abnormalities of parents. If the mother is the disease carrier, the haemophilia gene will be present in one of her X chromosomes. There are chances for the carrier woman to pass on the haemophilia gene to her son, who will acquire the disease and to the daughter, who becomes the carrier. If the father has haemophilia, then it is unlikely for the sons to acquire the disease, but the daughters become carriers of the disease. Research suggests that haemophilia is not completely a genetic disorder. It can also be due to a new gene flaw.
The severity of the condition increases with lower levels of clotting factor. The severity of haemophilia depends on how low the clotting factor levels are. The two forms of haemophilia in children are listed below.
● Haemophilia A: Children with no or less clotting factor VII are affected by Haemophilia A. This is the most common form of haemophilia.
● Haemophilia B: This rare condition affects children with no or little clotting factor IX.
The above two forms of haemophilia are due to genetic disorders.
● Haemophilia C: Children with lower clotting factor levels are affected by haemophilia C. They may experience bleeding only after surgery or injury.
The most evident symptom of haemophilia in children is uncontrolled bleeding. Haemophilia in children's symptoms vary based on the severity. You may notice abnormal bleeding after a surgery or dental procedure. This occurs when the clotting factor percentage is more significant than 5%. If the clotting factor percentage of VII or IX is less than 1%, you may notice severe symptoms. You can notice bleeding even with minimal daily activities. Bleeding also occurs in joints and muscles, leading to complications. Some of the other notable symptoms of haemophilia in children are:
● Bruising: Small injuries can result in bruises leading to swelling.
● Bleeding in Joints and Muscles: Excessive bleeding in joints and muscles leads to deformity, causing permanent damage.
● Bleeding in the Brain: Bleeding in the brain is an evident symptom of haemophilia due to injury in the brain or on its own. This results in blindness, neurological defects or even death due to spontaneous bleeding in the brain.
● Easy Bleeding: You may notice bleeding from the nose and gums. Your child might bleed even when brushing teeth.
Other notable haemophilia in child symptoms are:
● Soft tissue swelling
● Tingling
● Painful muscles
● Joint swelling
To diagnose haemophilia in children, your doctor will recommend a blood assessment.
● A complete blood count may reveal white and red blood cells. The count of blood clotting cells helps assess the severity of the disease.
● The level of clotting factor is calculated to identify the type of haemophilia.
● The blood clotting time is assessed from a blood test.
● DNA testing is performed to find out abnormal genes.
● Your doctor asks for your family history before diagnosing your medical condition.
Severe haemophilia can be diagnosed before your child turns 1 year old. Mild haemophilia can be noticed only in a later stage when they suffer from bleeding issues.
When your child is diagnosed, your healthcare provider will recommend consulting a haematologist, a specialist in blood disorders. Treatment mainly differs based on the age and severity of the condition. Haemophilia treatment in children is effective.
● Treating haemophilia mainly focuses on preventing bleeding and stopping bleeding to avoid complications.
● Your doctor recommends blood transfusions for significant blood loss.
● Comprehensive treatment is a must for haemophilia in child treatment.
● Treatment varies based on the haemophilia forms. Factor replacement therapy and antifibrinolytics are offered for A and B forms of haemophilia.
If left untreated, haemophilia in children can lead to several complications.
● Your child may suffer from inflammation in joints and joint muscles.
● Formation of tumours in joints, muscles or bone.
● Chances of long-term joint problems in children.
● Your child's body develops antibodies to work against the clotting factor.
● There is a chance of infection due to blood transfusion.
Children with haemophilia can live normal lives with proper treatment and a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you provide proper medical treatment from specialists to diagnose the condition and treat the symptoms at an early stage. This long-term health condition can be better treated and managed to ensure a normal life for your children.
● Manage haemophilia in children by involving them in physical activities. Choose a physical activity that does not cause any injury.
● Maintain good dental hygiene to avoid bleeding in gums.
● Avoid the intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Avil and aspirin, as it can worsen the condition.
● Ensure you wear medical identification to inform others about your health condition during an emergency.
Heamophilia a serious blood disorder in children can be treated based on the symptoms. The cause and symptoms of heamophilia vary based on its forms. This life threatening disease in children can be managed and your children can lead a normal life with the right medication and change in lifestyle.
You may notice the following symptoms if your child suffers from heamophilia
● Easy bleeding
● Deep bruises
● Uncontrolled bleeding due to injury or after a surgery
● Irritability
● Bleeding in joints and muscles
● Excessive bleeding due to cuts or injury
● Bruises
● Bleeding in joints and muscles
● Frequent Nose bleeds
● Pain and swelling in joints
Yes, a child with haemophilia can play sports without the risk of injury. Choose a sports activity that is safe for your child.
It is not possible for your child to grow out of haemophilia as it is a blood disorder caused by the absence of blood clotting protein. This is a life-long condition and cannot be treated.
