Hemophilia and Preventing Episodes of Bleeding in Affected Children Paper Example

Etiology of the Disease

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder which results from the lack or limited clotting factors among individuals. The clotting factors work jointly with platelets to ensure that a bleeding person experience clotting of the blood within a very short time to ensure that there is a limited loss of blood. Hemophilia mainly result from inherited genetics. It is caused by problems in merging of chromosomes that are from the father and the mother of a child. The male children acquire a Y chromosome and an X one from the mother and father respectively. On the other hand, a female child acquires an X chromosome from both the father and the mother. It is noted that the genetic problems that lead to hemophilia are only present in the X chromosome. Thus, it is evident that a male parent cannot pass the defect to their sons since they only offer them a Y chromosome which does not carry the disease. On the other hand, a male child may get hemophilia if the X chromosome from the mother an altered gene. ("Basics about Hemophilia | NCBDDD | CDC", 2018) Additionally, if a mother has one of the X chromosomes with the altered gene, then she has a 50 percent probability of passing the defect to the children, despite their sex. There are other causes of hemophilia but are rare. They include; cancer, pregnancy, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune conditions. However, these are very limited cases. Thus, the main cause of the disease is inherited.

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Hallmark Symptoms of Hemophilia

The symptoms of the disease vary from one case to another because of the level of the clotting some factors. Some individuals may have less bleeding conditions while other may have extreme ones. There are various symptoms that are related to the disease. Hemophilia can be linked to excessive bleeding after injuries. Additionally, the uncontrollable bleeding may also be experienced after surgeries or dental operation. Also, another symptom linked to the disease is excessive bleeding after one has a vaccination. Rarely do people bleed after vaccination since the pierced part clots very fast. Thus, the majority of the people who excessively bleed are likely to have hemophilia. Blood in the stool and urine is also a symptom of hemophilia ("Hemophilia - Symptoms, and causes," 2018). Furthermore, the disease is linked to unexpected nosebleeds that cannot be experienced. People suffering from the disease may start nose bleeding even when relaxed without having been hit by an object. Moreover, other symptoms may include swelling in the joints is characterized with a lot of pain. In infants, the disease makes them experience irritability. Finally, bleeding gums and deep bruises are also symptoms of hemophilia.

Teaching plan for the Parent of an Affected Child

Children with hemophilia need to be taken good care to ensure that they are not exposed to injuries or other risks that may cause bleeding. The disease is mainly genetically hereditary, and thus it is beyond the control of the parents. It is carried through the X chromosomes. The defect chromosomes make the blood of an individual to lack the clotting factors. Females have the X chromosomes while the males have the X and Y chromosomes. The father gives the male children Y chromosomes and thus cannot pass the defect to them. However, the mother may pass the defect since she gives the X chromosome to both the male and female children. However, the father gives the X chromosomes to the daughters and thus may pass the hemophilia defects to them. Therefore, the best practice for the parents is to reduce the possibility of bleeding and always consult doctors when problems occur. Additionally, the parents should ensure that the children do not engage in sports that may cause injury such as rugby and soccer among others. Furthermore, parents should ensure that the homes have limited objects that can injure the children and also make the children aware of the areas and objects that are risky for their health.

Preventing Episodes of Bleeding in Affected Children

Parents need to take great care of children who may be suffering from hemophilia. They have to ensure that the children are safe from injuries through checking the activities and sports that they engage in. The parents should ensure that the children do not engage in sports such as wrestling, rugby, football, hockey, and heavyweight lighting among others since they have a high possibility of causing injuries. The children with hemophilia should be engaged to engage in soft sports such as swimming, walking, tennis and bicycling which should be done slowly with all the protective gears. Additionally, the parents should ensure that the floors of the premises are not slippery to reduce the chances of falling and injuring. Also, all the areas should be well lighted during the nights to ensure that everything is visible.

Parents should reduce the chances of bleeding by ensuring that the furniture in the house does not have a sharp edge or those with them are kept away from the pathways. Also, they have to regularly check the soles of the child to ensure that they have enough threads that can reduce the possibility of sliding. The shoes should also be well fitting to ensure that the child is stable while walking. Furthermore, parents should always ensure that they follow the prescriptions offered by the doctors. For instance, it is recommended that people with hemophilia should use Tylenol and other acetaminophens for pain relief. Parents should make sure that the children do not consume aspirin, ibuprofen and any drugs that may contain salicylate ("Hemophilia: Preventing Bleeding Episodes," 2018). Therefore, it is important to regularly check the welfare of the children affected by hemophilia to ensure that have little chances of bleeding.

References

Basics about Hemophilia | NCBDDD | CDC. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/facts.html

Hemophilia - Symptoms and causes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemophilia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373327

Hemophilia: Preventing Bleeding Episodes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/aa66376