Children around the world can learn about hemophilia in the language they know best: Play! The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) HemoAction Games, are available online in English, Spanish and French. By encouraging children to embark on their very own “hemophilia adventure”, the games teach players how to prevent bleeds and manage hemophilia while learning about the clotting process, types of bleeds, factor infusions, and suitable physical activities. The focus, however, is on fun.
The HemoAction Games are based on the tremendously popular HemoAction playing cards originally developed in 2003 by Frederica Cassis, a psychologist of the Hemophilia Centre at Hospital das Clinicas in Brazil, and distributed by the WFH. The module features a classic memory game, a fill-in-the-blanks race to stop a bleed, a picture matching game where a factor-charged turtle saves the day, and a web-book that explains each card by telling a story about hemophilia. “The HemoAction cards are a great resource for me in my practice, for children and their families, and, I believe, for many of my colleagues around the world,” says Frederica Cassis. “It’s amazing to see them in motion in these online games!”
These interactive games will teach children and anyone who learns best through visual communication about hemophilia in a fun, easy to understand, and interactive way. The games can also be used by parents, nurses, and other healthcare providers to reinforce key concepts about the disease and its management. As they learn more, players can challenge themselves with higher levels of difficulty in each of the games. Children learn not to be afraid of factor infusions and gain confidence and self-worth through educational play.
