Hemophilia is a hereditary genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to control blood clotting or coagulation. When you have a child with this illness, it can be very difficult deciding what activities are safe.
Hemophilia has different levels of severity. Some children have very mild cases and don’t have to be as careful as others. Children with more severe cases of hemophilia must be careful what activities they participate in. A slight bumping or a small fall can cause bleeding and would require an injection of a medicine called “Factor”. Factor is a concentrate of what’s missing in the blood of someone with hemophilia.
Here are some of the activities recommended by The Canadian Hemophilia Society (CHS).These activities have a low injury rate and are good for children with hemophilia:
1. Swimming is considered one of the best activities for a child with hemophilia. It uses all the muscles, and water is soft which makes for no bruising. There is generally no contact with anything or anyone that could hurt the child. Just make sure he stays away from the hard edges of the pool.
2. Walking is good for everyone. It makes for a good strong heart and there is no danger of contact with others.
3. Cycling. Have the child ride his bike. Riding a bike is similar to walking, but more fun. You need to pick a good place for him to ride. The child should not ride on streets with traffic. Parks are a good place for riding a bike. Elbow pads, knee pads, gloves and a helmet should always be used. In any activity where they could fall down, children with hemophilia must use protective gear.
4. Dancing. Sign your child up for dance lessons. Physical activities help make the body strong, which is very important for people with hemophilia. If he likes music, teach him to dance.
5. Archery. This is a sport that builds not only strength, but skill too. There are archery tournaments worldwide that a child with hemophilia could participate in.
6. Fishing. It doesn’t get any safer then fishing.
7. Hiking. Take your child up to the mountains and go hiking and camping. Roast some marshmallows and have a good time. Children with hemophilia can enjoy just about all activities that normal children enjoy.
Children with hemophilia should definitely not play any contact sports like football, hockey or wrestling.
Based on the severity of a child’s hemophilia, each child’s body reacts differently to contact. Some kids may not have a problem sliding into first base. Other children will get a bleed for no apparent reason. No contact was made, nothing specific happened, but his arm is swollen. It all depends on the severity of the hemophilia. Consult with a specialist and find out what your child can and can’t do. Hemophilia should not stop a child from having a full and active childhood.
