Hemophilia

In the case of severe hemophilia, the first bleeding event usually occurs prior to 18 months of age. In fact, toddlers are at particular risk, because they fall so frequently.

Some of the most problematic and frequent bleeds occur into the joints, particularly into the knees and elbows. Repeated bleeding into joints can result in permanent deformities. Mouth injuries can result in compression of the airway, and therefore can be life-threatening. A blow to the head, which might be totally insignificant in a normal individual, can result in bleeding into the skull and brain. Because the skull has no room for expansion, the hemophiliac individual is at risk for brain damage due to blood taking up space and exerting pressure on the delicate brain tissue.