A 1-year-old with easy bruising presents with swelling and warmth over the knee due to hemarthrosis. Which physical finding would you expect?

A 1-year-old with easy bruising presents with swelling and warmth over the knee due to hemarthrosis. Which physical finding would you expect?

• A. Conjunctival hemorrhages
• B. Pain response over the wrists
• C. Swelling and warmth over the knee
• D. Pharyngitis and sandpaper rash

Answer: (C)

Bleeding into a joint causes the joint to become swollen, warm, and tender with limited movement. In a 1-year-old with easy bruising who has swelling and warmth over the knee, this is the classic sign of hemarthrosis from a bleeding disorder like hemophilia. The knee’s warmth and swelling directly reflect blood accumulating inside the joint space, which is the most consistent local finding. Other signs listed could occur with bleeding disorders in general or point to different conditions, but they don’t describe the knee joint itself. So the expected physical finding is a warm, swollen knee from intra-articular bleeding.

Bleeding into a joint causes the joint to become swollen, warm, and tender with limited movement. In a 1-year-old with easy bruising who has swelling and warmth over the knee, this is the classic sign of hemarthrosis from a bleeding disorder like hemophilia. The knee’s warmth and swelling directly reflect blood accumulating inside the joint space, which is the most consistent local finding. Other signs listed could occur with bleeding disorders in general or point to different conditions, but they don’t describe the knee joint itself. So the expected physical finding is a warm, swollen knee from intra-articular bleeding.