Doctors working on gene therapy to help patients with hemophilia

SOUTH BEND, Ind.--- Little Hunter Miller's motor is always running.

Like most toddlers he's sometimes one step away from trouble, but for Hunter being rough and tumble can have serious side effects. Hunter has severe hemophilia.

Twenty-thousand Americans live with hemophilia; it's a condition preventing the blood from clotting easily after a cut or injury.

Patients are also more susceptible to internal bleeding, which can damage joints, organs and tissue.

Three days after Hunter was born a routine circumcision caused a major scare.

"You know a baby gets up in the morning and their diapers are just full, said Tina Miller, Hunters grandmother. Well his was full, but it was full of blood."

Doctors diagnosed Hunter with hemophilia a, which means his blood is missing a protein known as clotting factor eight.

When he gets hurt doctors need to inject the clotting factor to stop the bleeding.

He's had eight emergency room visits in 19 months.

"Him falling, bumping his head too hard; just little cuts, said Heather Frederick, Hunters mother. He cut the roof of his mouth with a tortilla chip and that was a hospital trip."

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Doctors working on gene therapy to help patients with hemophilia

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