What does THAT mean!

When people are talking about bleeding disorders they can use some really long and hard words.

If you have ever wanted to know what they are talking about this bit of the website is for you.

In this part of the website, we've written down the meanings of those really hard words. If we've missed any, just let us know.

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Bleeding: Bleeding can happen inside and outside your body. If it is outside you will be able to see a red liquid, this might happen after you have hurt yourself. This is called external bleeding. Sometimes bleeding can happen inside of your body too, this is called internal bleeding. You won't be able to see it, but you might feel a tingly feeling in a certain part of your body like your knee, then it might start to feel warm, and then it might start to swell, or get bigger. If you feel like this you should get some ice, get your factor treatment and tell Mum, Dad or a grown-up straightaway.
Bleeds: Bleeds can happen to you at any time. Sometimes a bleed can happen inside your body and so you might not see it, but you may still be able to feel it.
Blood: This is the red, runny liquid that sometimes appears if you hurt yourself. Blood is made up of four parts: plasma, white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.
Bruise: A bruise is a black and blue patch on your skin that you might get after you bump yourself. Bruises are your body's way of telling you that you are bleeding inside.

Christmas Disease: This is the other name for haemophilia B.
Classical Haemophilia: This is the other name for haemophilia A
Clotting Factor: Your body needs 13 of these to help clot your blood and stop any bleeding.

External bleed: This is where you bleed outside of your body and you can see it. This might happen if you injure yourself.

Factor: Factors are the same as clotting factors. When you are bleeding, factors stop the bleeding - like a cork!
Factor IX (9): Factor IX (9) helps to stop you from bleeding. If you have haemophilia B you will have less factor IX (9) than normal.
Factor VIII (8): Factor VIII (8) helps to stop you from bleeding. If you have haemophilia A you will have less factor VIII (8) than normal

Haemophilia: Haemophilia is when your body doesn’t stop bleeding as quickly as it should. The bleeding can also happen inside your body. There are two kinds of haemophilia; haemophilia A and haemophilia B.
Haemophilia A: Haemophilia A is when you have a missing 'factor' called factor 8 (it is usually written as factor VIII).
Haemophilia B: Haemophilia B is when you have a missing 'factor' called factor 9 (this is written as factor IX)
Hereditary: Haemophilia is hereditary, this means that it is passed down through your family.

Internal Bleed: This is where you bleed inside your body after you bump yourself. You can't see these cuts or bleeds, but you might feel a tingly feeling in a certain part of your body like your knee, then it might start to feel warm, and then it might start to swell or get bigger. If you notice this you should get some ice to put on the area, get your factor treatment and tell Mum, Dad or a grown-up straightaway.

Joints: Joints are the place where two of your bones meet. Your knees, elbows and wrists are joints. In your joints there are spaces, these let your bones move so that you can move!

Mild haemophilia: People with mild haemophilia have more factor than people with moderate or severe haemophilia, which means that lots of bleeds can stop by themselves.
Moderate haemophilia: People with moderate haemophilia do have some factor in their blood, and so they might not bleed as often as someone with severe haemophilia.

Plasma: This is a yellowy liquid that makes up part of your blood. Plasma makes up part of your blood.
Platelets: Platelets make up part of your blood. They all stick together to make a 'plug' and stop you from bleeding.
Port-a-cath: When you are putting factor inside your body, sometimes it is hard to find the right place to put them in. A port-a-cath is a small little box about the size of a 10p coin. It is made of metal and it has a rubber cushion on the top. The port-a-cath will be put inside you and it means that you can put factor in your body more easily.
Prophylaxis: Prophylaxis (pro-fil-ak-sis is how you say it!) is treatment that stops you bleeding. This means putting factor in your body 2 or 3 times a week. If you have prophylaxis you should have less bleeds and this means less pain, less time in hospital and more time doing fun things.

Red blood cells: Red blood cells make up part of your blood and carry food and oxygen to your body.

Severe haemophilia: People with severe haemophilia have hardly any factor in their blood, and so they bleed more often than other people with haemophilia, more than once a week sometimes.

Treatment: This is where you give your body more clotting factor to help stop any bleeding.

von Willebrand Disease (vWD): von Willebrand Disease is like haemophilia, it is where your body doesn't stop bleeding as quickly as it should do. This is because people with von Willebrand Disease have less 'von Willebrand factor' than other people.
von Willebrand factor (vWf): von Willebrand factor helps to stop you from bleeding. If you have von Willebrand Disease it means you have less von Willebrand factor than other people.

White blood cells: These help to protect your body by getting rid of germs. White blood cells make up part of your blood.