How is von Willebrand Disease Diagnosed?
Von Willebrand disease is sometimes difficult to diagnose. People with type 1 or type 2 VWD may not have major bleeding problems; as a result, they may not be diagnosed until they have heavy bleeding after surgery or some other trauma. On the other hand, type 3 VWD can cause major bleeding problems during infancy and childhood. As a result, children with type 3 VWD are usually diagnosed during their first year of life. To find out if you have VWD, your doctor will take a complete medical history and do a physical exam. For the history, he or she will likely want to know about your personal and family history in particular: • Any episodes of bleeding from a small wound that lasted more than 15 minutes or started up again within the first seven days following the injury. • Any episodes of extended, heavy or repeated bleeding after surgery or dental extractions that required medical attention. • Any episodes of bruising with little or no apparent trauma, especially if you could feel a lum
