‘Haemophilia patients should keep dental hygiene in mind’
Health experts create awareness about the condition on World Haemophilia Day.
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
More than seven million people across the globe have haemophilia but unfortunately 75 per cent of them don’t have access to proper treatment. This is why a lot of them don’t lead long, productive lives which they can if they get medical help.
Rumi Dossal, Fatimid Foundation’s CEO, revealed these statistics regarding the genetic disorder at a seminar on Wednesday, April 17 - World Haemophilia Day. Heath experts delivered presentations in which they described haemophilia and other conditions related to bleeding.
Dr Bushra Moiz, an assistant professor at the Aga Khan University Hospital’s haematology department, shed light on dysfunctional platelets in her presentation. She said that people often mistake the dysfunction of these cells as haemophilia since both conditions are disorders of blood clotting. In healthy people, platelets staunch bleeding by sticking to damaged blood vessels, she said. When the platelet count drops below a certain level or the cells stop functioning properly, then blood doesn’t clot properly.
“If a child bleeds copiously from the gums or the nose or if small stains appear on the body, then their parents should take them to the doctor immediately. If a woman bleeds profusely at the end of the menstrual cycle, she should seek medical help too,” said Dr Moiz. “The doctor will ask questions about the bleeding incidents and family history, which should be answered as accurately as possible.” She added that educating patients and their families about the condition is necessary as it is a life-long one and planning is necessary to improve a person’s quality of life.
Dr Muhammad Adnan Qureshi, a consultant haematologist at Tabba Heart Institute, spoke about inhibitors and their effects on people taking medication to stop bleeding. He said the immune systems of some haemophilia patients produce antibodies called ‘inhibitors’. These inhibitors attack Factor VIII - a protein in the medicine which helps blood clot - and hence become an obstruction to the control of haemophilia. The immune systems of children between the ages of 10 and 12 years are more likely to produce inhibitors. “If bleeding increases during treatment, doctors should screen the patient’s blood for inhibitors.”
Dr S Aijaz Ali, senior lecturer at Baqai Dental College, described the importance of oral health and the impact of poor dental hygiene on a person’s well-being. He said that people with blood disorders should strictly follow their haematologists’ orders to consult dentists. Patients should care for their teeth the way their dentists have instructed them so that cavities and bleeding can be avoided.
“Parents shouldn’t let children with blood disorders eat chocolates with caramel because it sticks to the teeth and causes cavities. This leads to further problems.” Dr Ali advised patients to use fluoride mouthwash, brush their teeth regularly with toothpaste and floss properly before going to sleep so that no food particles get trapped in their mouths.
Fatimid Foundation’s chairperson, Lt Gen. (retd) Moinuddin Haider, and Aga Khan University Hospital’s founding chairperson, Prof. Mohammad Khursheed, distributed shields among the seminar’s participants. In his speech, Gen. Haider said, “We are trying to provide the latest treatment to patients within our limited resources.” He added the treatment of haemophilia is expensive and the organisation can’t always raise money required to help all patients. The government, on the other hand, has lots of cash at its disposal to waste on fruitless projects instead of helping children with blood disorders, he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2013.
More than seven million people across the globe have haemophilia but unfortunately 75 per cent of them don’t have access to proper treatment. This is why a lot of them don’t lead long, productive lives which they can if they get medical help.
Rumi Dossal, Fatimid Foundation’s CEO, revealed these statistics regarding the genetic disorder at a seminar on Wednesday, April 17 - World Haemophilia Day. Heath experts delivered presentations in which they described haemophilia and other conditions related to bleeding.
Dr Bushra Moiz, an assistant professor at the Aga Khan University Hospital’s haematology department, shed light on dysfunctional platelets in her presentation. She said that people often mistake the dysfunction of these cells as haemophilia since both conditions are disorders of blood clotting. In healthy people, platelets staunch bleeding by sticking to damaged blood vessels, she said. When the platelet count drops below a certain level or the cells stop functioning properly, then blood doesn’t clot properly.
“If a child bleeds copiously from the gums or the nose or if small stains appear on the body, then their parents should take them to the doctor immediately. If a woman bleeds profusely at the end of the menstrual cycle, she should seek medical help too,” said Dr Moiz. “The doctor will ask questions about the bleeding incidents and family history, which should be answered as accurately as possible.” She added that educating patients and their families about the condition is necessary as it is a life-long one and planning is necessary to improve a person’s quality of life.
Dr Muhammad Adnan Qureshi, a consultant haematologist at Tabba Heart Institute, spoke about inhibitors and their effects on people taking medication to stop bleeding. He said the immune systems of some haemophilia patients produce antibodies called ‘inhibitors’. These inhibitors attack Factor VIII - a protein in the medicine which helps blood clot - and hence become an obstruction to the control of haemophilia. The immune systems of children between the ages of 10 and 12 years are more likely to produce inhibitors. “If bleeding increases during treatment, doctors should screen the patient’s blood for inhibitors.”
Dr S Aijaz Ali, senior lecturer at Baqai Dental College, described the importance of oral health and the impact of poor dental hygiene on a person’s well-being. He said that people with blood disorders should strictly follow their haematologists’ orders to consult dentists. Patients should care for their teeth the way their dentists have instructed them so that cavities and bleeding can be avoided.
“Parents shouldn’t let children with blood disorders eat chocolates with caramel because it sticks to the teeth and causes cavities. This leads to further problems.” Dr Ali advised patients to use fluoride mouthwash, brush their teeth regularly with toothpaste and floss properly before going to sleep so that no food particles get trapped in their mouths.
Fatimid Foundation’s chairperson, Lt Gen. (retd) Moinuddin Haider, and Aga Khan University Hospital’s founding chairperson, Prof. Mohammad Khursheed, distributed shields among the seminar’s participants. In his speech, Gen. Haider said, “We are trying to provide the latest treatment to patients within our limited resources.” He added the treatment of haemophilia is expensive and the organisation can’t always raise money required to help all patients. The government, on the other hand, has lots of cash at its disposal to waste on fruitless projects instead of helping children with blood disorders, he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2013.