Hematology
Blood disorders can be challenging for adolescents and families with a child with a blood disorder. However, it is important to understand that there are many effective treatments available that can help manage these conditions and improve quality of life.
The treatment of blood disorders can vary depending on the specific type of disorder and its severity. For some conditions, such as anemia or clotting disorders, treatment may involve medications or blood transfusions to help manage symptoms and prevent complications. For other conditions, such as sickle cell disease or hemophilia, treatment may involve more specialized care, such as gene therapy or stem cell transplantation.
It is important for patients and their families to work closely with healthcare professionals to develop a personalized treatment plan that meets their individual needs. This may involve regular appointments with a hematologist or other specialists, as well as ongoing monitoring and testing to assess the effectiveness of treatment.
In addition to medical treatment, there are many resources available to help support adolescents and families with a child with a blood disorder. This may include education and counseling services, as well as practical resources such as financial assistance or transportation services.
While living with a blood disorder can be challenging, it is important to remember that with proper treatment and support, many people are able to manage their condition and lead healthy and fulfilling lives. By staying informed and actively participating in their own care, adolescents with blood disorders and their families can take an important step towards achieving optimal health outcomes.
Help for Ukrainian Children
Ukrainian children with cancer in need for treatment continuation
Centres
Switzerland has 9 specialized centers for pediatric hematology and oncology located across the country. These centers include Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Genève, Lausanne, Luzern, St. Gallen, and Zürich. These centers are dedicated to providing comprehensive care and treatment for children with blood disorders and cancer, offering state-of-the-art facilities and access to the latest medical research and therapies. Families in Switzerland have access to these specialized centers to ensure their children receive the best possible care and support during their medical journey.
Hereditary Angioedema (HAE)
Hereditary angioedema is a rare congenital disease characterized by edematous swelling of the subcutaneous tissue. Localized swelling (edema) that lasts one to seven days and recurs (recurs) at random intervals is typical. The face, arms, and legs are the most commonly affected areas for edema, followed by the gastrointestinal tract and, in rare cases, the voice box (larynx).
White blood cells (leukocytes)
White blood cells are in charge of the body's immune system. Pathogens are recognized and rendered harmless. Pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi can no longer be effectively repelled if the number of white blood cells in the blood is reduced or they are not functioning properly. Infections can then enter the organism. White blood cell disorders primarily include acquired or congenital neutropenia with a white blood cell deficiency.
Blood disorders (aplasia)
Blood formation disorders (bone marrow failure) are diseases that result in the formation of no or insufficient blood cells. One, two, or all three blood cell lines can be affected: red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and blood platelets (thrombocytes). Hematopoietic disorders can be congenital (affecting genetic disorders) or acquired later in life. They can have a variety of causes and effects. Stem cells found in the red bone marrow are responsible for the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The destruction or degeneration of stem cells results in a blood formation disorder (bone marrow failure) because no or insufficient blood cells are formed. A blood formation disorder affects the entire organism because blood transports oxygen and important nutrients to all organs of the human body.
Circulatory disorders
Circulatory disorders are rarer in children and adolescents than in adults and they can even occur in the unborn child. Circulatory disorders are caused by clots that form within a blood vessel and progressively narrow it. All blood vessels (arteries and veins) can be affected. Blood clots can break away from where they formed and travel with the bloodstream; For example, they can move from the deep veins of the legs to the lungs or the brain and block the blood vessels there. Such an occlusion leads to a pulmonary embolism or a stroke.
Immune deficiencies
A congenital or acquired disorder in the functioning of the body's immune system is known as an immune defect or immune deficiency. There is a distinction between primary (congenital) and secondary (acquired) immune system defects.
In Germany, one in every thousand children is born with a congenital immune deficiency. The main symptoms of immunodeficiency are frequent and severe infections. However, recurring fever, chronic inflammation, lymph gland swelling, and unclear autoimmune diseases can all indicate an immune deficiency.
Red blood cells (erythrocytes)
The most important function of red blood cells is to transport vital oxygen from the lungs to the body's organs and tissues via the blood vessels. Anemia occurs when there are insufficient red blood cells or when they do not function properly. People suffering from anemia frequently have unusually pale skin. Because the body is no longer receiving enough oxygen, they frequently experience fatigue, shortness of breath during physical exertion, decreased performance, and headaches.
Increased red blood cell formation (polycythemia) occurs much less frequently than decreased.
Platelets (thrombocytes)
Platelets (thrombocytes) are small cells with no nucleus that are primarily responsible for clotting. They ensure that, in the event of an injury, the blood vessel walls are sealed quickly and bleeding stops. Healthy people's blood contains a certain number of thrombocytes depending on their age (normal value). Platelet deficiency occurs when there are insufficient platelets in the blood (thrombocytopenia). Thrombocytosis, on the other hand, refers to an increased number of platelets. Functional disorders are another type of deviation (thrombocytopathies).
Coagulation disorders
When a blood vessel in the body is injured, a reaction occurs in the healthy organism that involves the blood vessels, blood platelets (thrombocytes), and blood coagulation factors present in the plasma. As a result, the injured vascular site closes.
There is a tendency to bleed when one of the coagulation factors is missing, too little, or not working properly, and the severity varies depending on the cause.
Increased coagulation activity leads to an increase in the formation of blood clots (thrombi) in the vessels, which can lead to vascular occlusion (thrombosis).
Infantile hemangiomas
The most common benign tumors in children are infantile hemangiomas. Congenital vascular tumors, or those that appear in the first few weeks of life, are what these are.
The following information text is intended primarily for relatives, friends, and other caregivers of children with infantile hemangiomas, as well as the general public. It should aid in understanding of the disease, treatment options, and the problems and special needs of patients. Our information does not replace the need for clarifying discussions with treating physicians and other members of the treatment team; however, it can assist in preparing for and understanding these discussions.
Further Information
Further Information
Further Information
Diagnosis
If your child is suspected of having a blood disease or has already been diagnosed with a blood disease, various tests are required to help the treatment team confirm the diagnosis.
Examinations performed as part of a blood disease's initial diagnosis (primary diagnosis) serve to precisely determine the disease and its causes, as well as to plan therapy. Further examinations are required during treatment (procedural diagnostics), for example, to check the disease's response to therapy or if complications arise. Following the completion of treatment, various check-ups are performed. They allow for the early detection of potential treatment side effects and changes in the course of the disease. The various examinations are always performed by the responsible doctor following a thorough discussion and physical examination.
On the following pages, we will go over various examination procedures that are commonly used in children and adolescents with blood disorders. However, not all of these tests are required for every patient or every blood disease. Certain procedures are reserved for specific clinical situations and clinical pictures, while others are standard for the respective primary and/or progression diagnostics. More information on which examinations are typically used for which diseases can be found in our disease-specific texts. Your pediatrician or the clinic's treatment team will give you specific information about which examination methods are needed for your child to determine the correct diagnosis and plan treatment.
Therapy
Most children and adolescents with blood disorders are examined and treated in Germany in accordance with recommendations that are updated on a regular basis to reflect new international scientific findings by specialists such as members of the Society for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology (GPOH). Age-appropriate and professional, gentle and effective treatment is required for this quality-assured procedure, which is entirely dependent on the close cooperation of a treatment team comprised of paediatricians, child psychologists, social workers, nursing staff, scientists, and many others.
Children are not miniature adults! Children and adolescents with blood disorders should be treated by a registered pediatrician and/or in specialized centers, i.e. large clinics, where all members of the treatment team are easily accessible and experienced in dealing with sick children and young people, depending on the severity and complexity of the disease. If the treatment must be administered in a clinic, the many employees, the unknown examinations, the treatment, and everything that comes with it understandably cause a great deal of anxiety and confusion at first. After the initial uncertainty that a blood disease diagnosis usually causes, a flood of new information and people pour in, causing the entire family's daily life to change.
The more informed one is, the less fear and confusion there is, and the more specific one can ask questions and seek help - both of which are necessary prerequisites for effective advocates for a sick child. As a result, on the following pages, we'd like to provide some general information on the treatment of children and adolescents with blood disorders. We'd like to prepare you and your child for any necessary clinic stays and introduce you to some of the treatment methods that are used on a regular basis. The "Diseases" pages contain detailed information on each of the various treatments.
Advocate Organizations
photo credit: KSA Aarau
Switzerland has several organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children with cancer and blood disorders. These organizations provide financial aid, psychological support, and conduct research. Some of the notable organizations include Kinderkrebs Schweiz, Kinderkrebshilfe Schweiz, Kinderkrebshilfe Zentralschweiz, Stiftung krebskranke Kinder Basel, Stiftung Sonnenschein, Berner Stiftung für krebskranke Kinder und Jugendliche, ARFEC, Zoé4life, Force, CANSEARCH, and Kinderkrebsforschung Schweiz. Their collective efforts make a significant impact in supporting young patients and their families, as well as advancing research in pediatric oncology.