Are Some Heads Going to Roll?

A mom posed a common summertime question on social media: should I let my child with hemophilia ride the roller coaster at a local amusemenet park?

If you Google “roller coaster and hemophilia,” a great article pops up from our blogsite about roller coasters, by Dr. Dick Lipton of the Jewish Long Island Hemophilia Center. Dick is since retired, but it’s a great article. And what does he recommend? Prophy up and have fun!

But even then, you should know the signs of a head bleed (an intracranial bleed hemorrhage, or ICH), for roller coasters and any other activity that put the head in motion.

Signs and Symptoms of ICH

• sudden severe headache or headache that worsens

• seizures with no previous history

• weakness in an arm or leg

• vomiting more than twice, with or without nausea

• decreased alertness; lethargy; trouble waking up or staying awake

• changes in vision, such as double vision, blind spots or blurred vision

• dilated or unequal pupils; eyes not moving together

• dislike of bright light

• tingling or numbness in extremities

• difficulty speaking or understanding speech

• difficulty swallowing

• difficulty writing or reading

• loss of fine motor skills; hand tremors

• loss of balance; difficulty walking; stumbling or falling

• abnormal sense of taste

• stiff neck or back

• extreme or persistent crying in babies

• excessive irritability in babies

• loss of consciousness, even for a few seconds

These are also symptoms I get when I am asked to cook. But seriously, with prophy, you or your child should be fine. But always know symptoms, and if in doubt, call your HTC!

Enjoy the summer and get vaccinated!