Hemophilia doesn't let blood clot properly, so a lot more bleeding occurs. It is a genetic disorder and it occurs mostly in boys, but only one in 8000 have it. This can effect any race or nationality. When most people get a cut, the platelets in their blood go to the bleeding and plug it up-the first step in clotting. When the platelets plug up the hole, they attract more sticky platelets and activate proteins called clotting factors. These mix with the platelets and form fibers that make the clot stronger and stop the bleeding. Our bodies should have 12 clotting factors, and lacking a clotting factor is what causes hemophilia. There are 2 kinds of hemophilia:Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B. Hemophilia can be mild, moderate, or severe, based in the amount of clotting factor. People with mild will only bleed a lot once in a while, but people who have severe are put at risk for having bleeding problems much more often. Most people notice that they have hemophilia when they are babies or young kids. Sometimes the case is so mild that people don't even notice that they have it until a minor surgery-where a blood test is done prior to the surgery.

 

     It is an X-linked gene disorder, so its passed from mother to son on the X chromosome. If she carries the gene for hemophilia one one of her X chromosomes, then each of her sons wil have a 50% chance of having hemophilia. Girls rarely get hemophilia, but they can be carriers of the disorder. For a girl to get it, she would have to receive the disease on the chromosome she receives from her father, who would have hemophilia, as well as from the x chromosome of her mother, who would be a carrier.

 

     -bruises that are unusual in location or number

     -nosebleeds that won't stop

     -excessive bleeding from biting a lip or having a tooth pulled

     -painful or swollen joints

     -blood in urine

 

     This disease cannot be cured(except by a liver transplant), but it can be managed. Internal bleeding can be serious and treatment is necessary. Patients with a serious case can get shots to inject the factor that they are missing-this is called clotting factor replacement therapy. it is injected into the vein and can be given anywhere. When a person with the disorder has internal bleeding, they will need to replace the missing cloting factor right away to make the bleeding stop. Failure to do so can damage the joints. Gene therapy can be used for hemophilia-which can be used to provide the body with the genetic information it doesn't have.