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Bleeding Disorders
The Hemophilia/Bleeding Disorders Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children prides itself on treating the whole person, not just the hemophilia. As such, the care we provide is comprehensive. We offer compassionate, state-of-the-art clinical care to patients and their families, advancing our understanding of the disorder through research and educating future health care providers and leaders in the field. The Hemophilia/Bleeding Disorders Program receives funding from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health and participates in national clinical trials.
Comprehensive Care
Comprehensive care of the child with hemophilia is defined as supervision of all medical and psychosocial aspects affecting the child and family including:
- Dental Care: All children need good dental care to prevent problems later in life. We recommend that a child's first dental checkup occur between ages 2 and 3. By encouraging good eating habits, daily brushing routines and regular checkups, you can prevent many problems. It is important to let your dentist know about the child's hemophilia, so that dental care can be coordinated with the Hemophilia/Bleeding Disorders team. The Dental Department at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is experienced in coordinating expert pediatric dental care with special attention to managing bleeding disorders.
- Home Treatment: Home treatment is the process by which trained family members and patients assess bleeding episodes and, when necessary, administer the infusion of clotting (or coagulation) factor at home.
- Home Nursing: When family members are not yet trained to assess and treat bleeding episodes, or for other special circumstances, home nurses with expertise in pediatric hemophilia care can help. Home nurses assist families throughout the Philadelphia area, in close coordination with the Hemophilia/Bleeding Disorders Team.
- Orthopedic Care: Children with certain forms of hemophilia & bleeding disorders may develop problems with bleeding into joints. The comprehensive clinic includes regular evaluation of joints by orthopedic surgeons. Physical therapists attend hemophilia clinic and plan individual programs for maintaining healthy muscles and joints based on annual range of motion assessments.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (215) 427-5096.
Meet the Team
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia has a highly qualified team of board-certified experts who are specially trained to work with the individual and unique needs of infants and pediatric patients.