Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : April 17, 2015 10:13 AM IST
April 17 is World Hemophilia Day
In most cases, parents are the only caregivers for children with hemophilia. They are surrounded by the constant fear of trauma and its severe health consequences, as even a slight injury can become fatal. And as the child grows, it becomes even more difficult as they often tend to ignore their parent s instructions and turn rebellious at times. Instead of getting stressed about this, our experts suggest that you:
Ensure your home is injury-free: Kids are bound to pay and indulge in mischievous activities like fighting on the sofa or jumping from the stairs. Also, keeping a tab on their daily moves or limiting their movement is not an easy task, says Dr Gaurav Kharya Consultant Pediatric Hemato-oncology, Immunology & Bone Marrow Transplant, BLK Super Specialty Hospital. You can make your home injury proof by providing blunt objects or toys, using carpets on the floor, accompanying your child on the stairs, etc.
Inform the school authorities about your child s condition: Inform the school authorities in advance and in detail about what has to be done in the case of an emergency. Also, ensure that the school is well equipped with medical facilities and supply a kit (containing one vial of factor concentrate and one vial of sterilized water) to be administered to your child in case of emergency. Read about treatment of hemophilia (expert interview).
Help them to stay active: Encourage your child to exercise regularly to build muscle strength, which can help prevent internal bleeding. Dr Suneet Sekhri, Physician & Consultant, NBLC Ayurvedic Clinic, New Delhi says, When it comes to sports, these kids should refrain from sports where there is an increased risk of injuries such as football, cricket and basketball. However, other activities like brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, etc. are very good for them. As a healthy body not only reduces chances of bleeding but also makes their muscles stronger, thereby decreasing the chances of trauma.
Take the help of a psychologist: With all the restrictions and precautions that a child with hemophilia needs to go through, it is quite common that the child might get frustrated and rebellious. To cope with this issue, sit with your child and explain in detail about his/her condition. Apart from this, with the help of a clinical psychologist, you should talk to kids from time to time, listen to their grievances and try to address them. Here are 5 precautions every hemophiliac should take.
Make sure they eat right: According to Dr Suneet Sekhri, A proper diet plan needs to be followed in cases of hemophilia. Obesity/increased weight strains your muscles and joints, which can lead to further health complications, thus increasing the risk of bleeding in susceptible joints. Calorie-dense foods are not good for these children and hence, it is important to ensure your child eats the right kind of foods.
Also read about what to do while planning for a baby if you suffer from hemophilia.
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