Hemophilia and Von Willebrand Disease

Atrium Health Levine Children’s is home to top experts who offer state-of-the-art treatments for hemophilia, von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders. Our pediatric hematologists can help your child manage their condition, avoid complications and lead happy, fulfilling lives – from infancy to adulthood.

About hemophilia and von Willebrand disease

Normally, blood cells clot together to prevent the body from bleeding too much after an injury. But blood doesn’t clot properly in children with bleeding disorders. We treat a wide variety of these disorders, including:

• Hemophilia A and B, which occur when the body doesn’t create the right proteins to help blood clot.
• Von Willebrand disease, which occurs when a protein called the von Willebrand factor is missing or doesn’t work.

Hemophilia and von Willebrand disease – what to expect from Levine Children's

Here’s why families from across the region come to Levine Children’s to help their kids manage bleeding disorders:

• We’re among the most trusted care centers for bleeding disorders in the Southeast. We’ve seen many kinds of bleeding disorders in all types of patients, helping us know which treatments give each kid the best chance of success.
• We’re an accredited hemophilia treatment center (HTC). This means we provide the most advanced hemophilia care for patients of all ages and offer resources far beyond medical care. For example, we’re home to specialized psychologists who see many children with hemophilia. We also offer support from school therapists who help kids transition back into school after long periods at the hospital.
• We treat children into adulthood. As kids grow into young adults, we connect them with our care team at Levine Cancer Institute. This gives your child seamless, lifelong care from a single, connected team.
• We collaborate with other pediatric specialists, including neurologists, gastroenterologists and orthopedic surgeons. This helps all of your child’s doctors stay up to date so they can provide the best care.
• We offer the latest clinical trials, which means your child might be able to try innovative new therapies before they’re widely available.

Treatments for hemophilia and von Willebrand disease

Our team works together to make individualized treatment plans for each child, helping them manage their conditions throughout their lives. Therapies include:

• Replacement therapy, where we regularly infuse patients with missing proteins – or “clotting factors” – so their blood can clot.
• Demand therapy, where we only replace clotting factors when a child bleeds too much.
• Desmopressin, a therapy for von Willebrand disease that uses a hormone to help blood clot.
• Clinical trials, including Phase I clinical trials, giving patients access to the newest, most innovative therapies before they’re widely available.