The diagnosis of haemophilia in a newborn son often leaves parents feeling completely overwhelmed. Many mistakenly believe that a simple scratch in a boy with this congenital bleeding disorder can lead to death through exsanguination, or that their son will end up in a wheelchair because of early arthritis. In fact, the prognosis for young people with haemophilia is excellent, and boys in developed countries can look forward to an essentially normal life. The introduction of recombinant coagulation factor concentrates has eliminated the risk of transmission of viral infections such …