Haemophilia day celebration in Chennai

                 The Haemophilia day celebration in Chennai on April 17, 2015 at the Royapetta Government hospital. This was organized to stop the Government which decided to remove the care centre at the hospital and convince the hospitals dean to sign the indent of medicines. This event was held by the young leaders of haemophilia youth committee, Madras.

 This event took place between 9:00a.m to 5:30 pm. This event succeeded and dean indented medicines to be served  for next  6 months. To celebrate this success the senior committee and youth committee went to Kiskintha water theme park . This was indeed in intention off promoting friendly relationship among the members of the society.
                 Here with I submit some of the factors recording Haemophilia

The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with hemophilia (also spelled haemophilia) and other genetic bleeding disorders. It educates hemophiliacs and lobbies for improved medical treatment. 75% of people in the world with bleeding disorders do not know it and do not receive care.

The WFH was established by Frank Schnabel in 1963 and has its headquarters in Montreal, Canada. It has member organizations in 113 countries and official recognition from the World Health Organization. The current President is Alain Weill

World Hemophilia Day is an international observance held annually on April 17 by the WFH. It is an awareness day for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, which also serves to raise funds and attract volunteers for the WFH. It was started in 1989; April 17 was chosen in honor of Frank Schnabel's birthday.

What is haemophilia??

Let’s take a moment to discuss crucial facts that you should know about hemophilia.

When we bleed, the body normally pools blood cells together to form a clot to stop the bleeding. This process is brought about by certain blood particles (platelets and plasma proteins). Hemophilia occurs when a person has a deficiency in one of these clotting factors.

Hemophilia is classified by the absence or insufficiency of some clotting factors:

§  Hemophilia A, the most common type, is caused by insufficient clotting factor VIII.

§  Hemophilia B, the second most common type, is caused by insufficient clotting factor IX.

§  Hemophilia C, in which signs and symptoms are often mild, is caused by insufficient clotting factor XI.

Hemophilia occurs approximately 1 in every 5,000 male births. Currently, about 20,000 males in the US are living with the disorder. Hemophilia A is about four times as common as Hemophilia B, and about half of those affected have the severe form. Hemophilia affects people from all racial and ethnic groups. Approximately 30% of people with hemophilia show no family history while the remaining 70% cases are inherited .This condition also prevails in India, with more than 5000 men in tamil nadu . haemophilia centers for treating these patients. Nearly 500 to 1000 patients have been recognized in Chennai and there are still more unaware the symptoms of his disorder

How is Hemophilia inherited?

Every human being has two sex chromosomes, one from each parent. A female inherits an X chromosome from her mother and an X from her father. A male inherits an X from his mother and a Y from his father.

Hemophilia inheritance depends on the type of hemophilia:

Hemophilia A or B. The gene that causes them is located on the X chromosome, so it can’t be passed from father to son. Hemophilia A or B almost always occurs in boys and is passed from mother to son through one of the mother’s genes. Haemophilia C. This disorder can be passed on to children by either parent and can occur in girls and boys.   

What are the symptoms?

• Mildly reduced clotting factors: you may bleed only after surgery or trauma.
• Severe deficiency: you may experience spontaneous bleeding which presents as follows:
• Unexplained and excessive bleeding from cuts or injuries, or after surgery or dental work
• Many large or deep bruises
• Unusual bleeding after vaccinations
• Pain, swelling or tightness in joints and muscles. This can cause limbs to swell, which may press on nerves and lead to numbness or pain. If left untreated, frequent internal bleeding may cause arthritis or destruction of the joint.
• Blood in urine or stool
• Nosebleeds without a known cause
•   In infants, unexplained irritability

 When to seek consultation?

Prolonged bleeding after circumcision may be the first indication in a baby boy. Those who aren’t circumcised, easy bruising when the child becomes more mobile may lead to the diagnosis (generally 2 years of age).

If your child bruises easily, seek help. If your child has heavy bleeding that can’t be stopped after an injury, seek emergency medical care.

Questions the doctor might ask

• What are your symptoms, and when did you first notice them?
• Have you noticed any unusual or heavy bleeding, such as nosebleeds or prolonged bleeding from a cut or vaccination?
• Have you noticed blood in your urine or stool?
• Have you undergone any surgeries, and, if so, did the surgeon feel there was excessive bleeding?
• Have you noticed heavy bruises?
•  Have you complained of pain or warmth around joints?
•  Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder?
•  Are you planning to have more children?

How is hemophilia treated?

While there’s no cure for hemophilia, most people with the disease can lead fairly normal lives. Therapies to stop bleeding depend on the type of hemophilia:

• Mild Hemophilia A. Hormone desmopressin (DDAVP) can stimulate a release of more clotting factor to stop bleeding.
• Moderate to severe Hemophilia A or Hemophilia B. Bleeding may stop only after an infusion of recombinant clotting factor or donated human blood. Repeated infusions may be needed if internal bleeding is severe.
• Hemophilia C. Plasma infusions are needed to stop bleeding episodes.
• First aid for minor cuts. Applying pressure and a bandage will generally take care of the bleeding. For small areas of bleeding beneath the skin, use an ice pack.
• Although blood products are screened, it is still possible for people who rely on them to contract diseases. If you have hemophilia, consider receiving immunization against Hepatitis A and B.

What precautions you can take?

• Regular exercise: Swimming, biking and walking can build up muscles while protecting joints. Contact sports should be avoided.
• Avoid pain medications: Drugs that reduce the platelet levels further include aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc). Instead, use safer alternatives like acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc)
•   Practice good oral care: This will prevent tooth extraction, which can lead to excessive bleeding.
• For children: Kneepads, elbow pads, helmets, safety belts and soft furniture corners all may help prevent injuries from unpredictable events.

 Conclusion:

Haemophilia is no more a dreadful disorder to worry about.   Though it doesn’t have a permanent cure it can be controlled by following up given precautions.

                            Thank you

                                                                                          By

                                                                               K. Venkatraman

                                                                                          XII   B