What Teachers Should Know Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly. People with hemophilia may bruise and bleed easily, and they may bleed a lot or for a long time after an injury. Bleeding can occur anywhere in the body, including in the joints, muscles, brain, or digestive tract. Some people have mild hemophilia, some moderate, and some more severe. Hemophilia is rare and affects mostly males: Only about 1 in every 5,000 to 10,000 boys are born with it. In rare cases, girls are born with the disease. Hemophilia can affect people of any race or nationality. Symptoms of hemophilia include: bruises that are unusual in location or number nosebleeds that won't stop excessive bleeding from cuts, injuries, or after surgery painful or swollen joints blood in the urine or stool abnormal menstrual bleeding Students with hemophilia may: need to go to the school nurse for medications or to check bruises, cuts, or bleeding miss class time and assignments due to doctor appointments have a port implanted in their chest for infusions wear a helmet and other protective equipment require adaptations to the classroom environment feel embarrassed or overwhelmed about their medical condition What Teachers Can Do Any injury to a student with hemophilia, especially to the head, should be treated as an emergency — get medical assistance immediately. Make sure your students with hemophilia have individualized care plans and be prepared to respond in accordance with the plan. Allow assignments and class work to be made up at home in cases of absences or missed class time. In some cases, homebound instruction or tutoring might be appropriate. Exercise is important for kids and teens with hemophilia because it makes their muscles stronger, which protects the joints. Contact sports are not safe, but students can participate in a variety of activities. Discuss with your students' parents which physical activities are allowed and which are off limits. Back to Articles Related Articles Hemophilia Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder that prevents the blood from clotting properly. With modern treatment, most kids who have it can lead full, healthy lives. Read More Von Willebrand Disease Easy bruising and excessive bleeding can be signs of Von Willebrand disease, a genetic disorder that affects blood's ability to clot. Read More von Willebrand Disease When people have Von Willebrand disease, their blood doesn't clot properly. Many teens with VWD have such mild symptoms that they never know they have it. Read More 504 Education Plans If your child has special needs in the classroom, he or she may be eligible for a government-supported learning plan. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.