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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffHemophilia is diagnosed at an average age of 9 months, and almost always by age 2. If your child has heavy bleeding that can't be stopped after an injury, call 911 or your local emergency number or go to an emergency room.
If your child's symptoms are less severe — such as bruising that seems excessive after minor injuries — call your family doctor or your child's pediatrician. In some cases when you call to set up your appointment, you may be immediately referred to a doctor who specializes in bleeding disorders (hematologist).
Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.
What you can do
- List any symptoms your child has been experiencing, and for how long. It will help your doctor to know details such as the types of injuries that have caused significant bruising or other unusual symptoms.
- Write down your child's key medical information, including other medical problems for which your child is being treated and any medications your child is currently taking. Also note whether anyone else in your family has been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
For hemophilia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my child's signs and symptoms?
- Are there any other possible causes for these symptoms?
- What kinds of tests does my child need?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- What restrictions will my child need to follow?
- What additional steps can I take to ensure my child's safety?
- What can I do to help my child live as normally as possible?
- How will you monitor my child's health over time?
- What is my child's risk of long-term complications?
- Do you recommend that our family meet with a genetic counselor?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:
- What are your child's symptoms?
- When did you first begin noticing these symptoms?
- Has your child complained of pain or warmth around his or her joints?
- Have you noticed any unusual or heavy bleeding, such as nosebleeds or prolonged bleeding from a cut?
- Have you noticed blood in your child's urine or stool?
- Has your child undergone any surgeries, and did the surgeon feel there was excessive bleeding?
- What else concerns you?
- Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder?
- Are you planning to have more children?
What you can do in the meantime
While you wait for your appointment, check with your family members to find out if any relatives have been diagnosed with hemophilia or have had undiagnosed problems with excessive bleeding. Share this information with your doctor when you meet.
- Ferri FF. Hemophilia. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/127220953-8/819378765/1701/258.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50011-2--subchapter13_5514. Accessed March 21, 2009.
- Hoots KW, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of hemophilia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2009.
- Hemophilia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hemophilia/hemophilia_what.html. Accessed March 21, 2009.
- Hemophilia. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec11/ch136/ch136d.html. Accessed March 21, 2009.
- Hoots KW, et al. Treatment of hemophilia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2009.
- Kessler CM. Hemorrhagic disorders: Coagulation factor deficiencies. In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:697.
- Pruthi RK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 9, 2009.
