'Now I've told my friends they will understand if they see a bruise on my arm. They will understand - they'll think 'oh she told me about that, so I won't ask'.'
It might sound a bit obvious but who you tell that you have a bleeding disorder is pretty much up to you.
However, there are a few people it might be a good idea to tell if only to make sure if something does happen then someone who'll be nearby will know what to do. If you're at school the chances are that that someone on the staff will know for these reasons.
If you've got a job it's often a good idea to make sure someone there knows what to do too. It's also not a good idea to lie on application forms for jobs if you are asked directly.
Apart from that we say just tell anyone you feel needs to know or you want to know.
You should also wear a medic alert bracelet or carry a card with info on it. Paramedics are trained to look for these thing and it should mean if something goes really wrong then you'll get the right treatment faster. There are a few about to chose from, like Medicalert and SOS Talisman.
Telling a girlfriend or boyfriend
It's a good idea to tell your girlfriend or boyfriend, because chances are they will notice something anyway. If they know about it they might be able to help in an emergency. Often, they are really interested and want to help. We know of some girlfriends of boys with haemophilia who have got involved in their treatment, for example, because they wanted to understand it and be able to help.
