Question

A 4-year-old boy begins to develop hematomas. He mentions knee pain to his mother, and she notices his knees are swollen and painful. His mother is very concerned because she knows her father had a bleeding disorder.

What is the likely diagnosis?

Answer 1

The 4-year-old boy with hematomas, swollen knees, a family history of bleeding disorders likely has hemophilia, a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in clotting factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the symptoms of hematomas, knee pain, swelling, and a family history of a bleeding disorder, the likely diagnosis for the 4-year-old boy is hemophilia. Hemophilia is a genetic disorder characterized by an inability to produce clots due to a deficiency in clotting factors. Hemophilia A, which is caused by a deficiency in factor VIII, accounts for approximately 80% of cases, while Hemophilia B is caused by a deficiency in factor IX and makes up about 20% of cases. Since the disorder is linked to the X chromosome, it is often passed from a carrier mother to her male offspring. The mother's knowledge of a family history of bleeding disorders suggests that her son might be affected by this condition.