Hemophilia

Treatment of Children

The Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Mayo specializes in treating children with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Following an integrated, multidisciplinary team model, specialists from several departments work together to provide an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for the child and support for the family. Care is coordinated with Mayo's Comprehensive Hemophilia Center.

Medical specialists from pediatric hematology-oncology, orthopedic surgery, laboratory medicine, pediatrics or family medicine, pediatric dentistry and physical medicine and rehabilitation work with other specialists as needed to treat children with hemophilia.

The standard treatment for children with severe hemophilia is regular intravenous injections of the needed clotting factor. This prevents short-term and long-term complications such as joint bleeding. Children who have mild to moderate hemophilia, and who do not bleed frequently, are treated by replacing clotting factors when the bleeding occurs. The clotting factor may be derived from volunteer plasma donors or complex laboratory techniques.

Parents of children with hemophilia are trained to manage disease complications and to handle emergencies. Day care centers, schools and local hospital emergency rooms can also be trained upon request. After the child returns home, his or her pediatrician can monitor and treat the child.

Mayo Clinic routinely performs genetic testing of children with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. These tests are particularly useful for genetic counseling of newly diagnosed patients and for expectant parents and their obstetricians.

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at (507) 538-3270 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.