Hemophilia is a blood disorder typically inherited through a parent carrying a specific gene. Children with this condition cannot stop bleeding when hurt because of the lack of clotting factors in the blood. There are mainly two factors that affect blood clotting—factor VIII and factor IX. Any deficiency in these proteins can lead to excessive bleeding, both external and internal. Here is a look at the causes and types of hemophilia:

Causes
Children typically inherit the disorder from a parent due to the transfer of a particular gene in the X chromosome. Females have two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y chromosome. Based on this fact, here is a look at the inheritance of the gene to understand the causes of hemophilia in children:

Scenario 1: If the mother is the carrier of the hemophilia gene in one of her X chromosomes, there is a 50-50 chance that the hemophilia gene will be passed on to the child she is carrying. Here, if she has a son, he will have the disorder. If she has a disorder, she will be a carrier for the next generation.

Scenario 2: If the father has hemophilia, but the mother does not carry that gene, then male children will not be affected by the disease, but the daughters will carry the gene with them on their X chromosome.

Additionally, research suggests that one-third of children with hemophilia have no traceable family history of the disorder. Doctors believe that this could be due to a new gene flaw that is carried independently by those affected. Even if those affected do not have a severe deficiency of clotting factors, here are some complications they may experience:

• Bruising easily and often
• Experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding
• Having frequent nosebleeds
• Bleeding more during surgery and also during dental work

Types
The disease can be categorized into the following 3 types:

Hemophilia A: This type develops with a lack of blood clotting factor VIII. Researchers suggest that 9 out of 10 people who have hemophilia usually experience type A. The type is also known as factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia.

Hemophilia B: This refers to the type of hemophilia in which the blood clotting factor IX is missing. Doctors often refer to this type as the factor IX deficiency or the Christmas disease.

Hemophilia C: Another blood clotting protein, factor XI, is necessary for stopping bleeding. Deficiency of this clotting factor is known as hemophilia C.

While both types A and B are inherited in the same way, type C does not follow an X-linked pattern, meaning it affects both genders equally. Type C is also a rare form of the disorder, usually characterized by bleeding episodes after dental work or similar procedures.