Treating or Stopping a Bleed When Your Child Has a Bleeding Disorder

If your child has a bleeding disorder, it is important to act quickly when they have a bleed. This is true with open wounds, cuts, and bruises.

These steps can help you if your child has a minor bleed or injury that you can treat at home.

Use clotting factor

If your child needs clotting factor, it is vital to treat a bleed with it as soon as you can.

The clotting factor medicines replace missing clotting factors in your child’s blood. This will help the blood to clot and stop the bleeding. Follow your care team’s instructions for using the clotting factor.

Follow with the RICE plan

Use the RICE plan to reduce bleeding:

• Rest the limb. Do not put weight on or use the affected limb.
• Ice the limb. Use an ice pack over a cloth to protect the skin.
• Compress the limb. Use an elastic compression bandage (ACE™) to provide support.
• Elevate the limb. Try to keep the limb above your heart.

Continue the RICE plan for at least 24 hours.

When to call your child’s care team

If the bleeding does not improve in 24 hours or gets worse, reach out to your child’s care team.