In what activities can children who are taking anti-clotting medications participate, and what precautions should be taken?
Parents should talk to their child’s doctor about specific activity limits and precautions while their child is on an anti-clotting medication regimen. In general, children who are taking anti-clotting medications should:
- Always wear seat belts in motor vehicles
- Always wear helmets on bikes, skateboards, scooters, etc.
- Avoid activities that are high-risk for injury, especially head injury
- Avoid high-impact sports like American football, ice hockey, etc.
Parents should discuss with the doctor whether their child with recent DVT/PE or who is taking anti-clotting medications needs other activity limits. Things to consider include the child’s:
- Age, development and degree of judgment
- History of injuries and falls
- Skill with a particular activity
- Degree of supervision (supervision of activities by a responsible adult may decrease the risks of injury and bleeding)
Because staying active, rather than sedentary, helps to reduce the risk of new DVT/PE, doctors often advise parents to permit and encourage participation in regular but safe exercise. While every child is unique, activities that are age-appropriate, supervised, and low-risk for injury may be encouraged, such as walking on a well-paved path or a treadmill, and biking on a well-paved path while wearing a helmet, or riding a stationary bike.
Neil A. Goldenberg, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
Baltimore, MD, USA
Founding Director, Pediatric Thrombosis & Stroke Programs
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Updated: September 2024
