Paediatric care of the child with haemophilia.

The paediatric care of children with haemophilia in developed countries should focus on the health of the child, not on the disorder. Gene therapy offers the hope of an ultimate 'cure' for the disorder, but until this is a viable proposition, patients should be given more control over their treatment, and the focus should be on 'self-monitored and self-adjusted' prophylaxis. New instruments for measuring joint function and radiographic changes, and quality of life are valuable tools in improving the treatment of paediatric care for children with haemophilia.