Children with venous and arterial thrombosis (blood clots in the veins and arteries) receive care from our expert team.
Children and adolescents with blood clots, or who are at risk for developing blood clots, need care from an experienced team that understands how these clots impact the young patient whose body is still developing. Our team in the Pediatric Thrombosis Program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s in St. Petersburg, Florida, provides expert care, consultation, and access to the latest treatment and research developments through leadership and participation in clinical trials.
Why Choose Johns Hopkins All Children’s
While blood clots are less common in children than adults, reports indicate that the rate of thrombosis in children has dramatically increased in recent years. Our multidisciplinary team treats infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with blood clots. We provide a thrombophilia evaluation and anticipatory guidance for children who may be at risk for developing young-onset blood clots because of a family history of blood clots or stroke before age 50. We work closely with the Stroke Program team at Johns Hopkins All Children’s to provide expert, multidisciplinary care.
Our pediatric thrombosis doctors are internationally recognized as leaders in pediatric thrombosis research and management. They have devoted their careers to caring for these children and are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for their patients. The hospital is designated as a Venous Thromboembolism Center of Excellence by the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) — the very first pediatric hospital in the nation to receive this distinction.
Our program is also part of several other international collaborations dedicated to advancing the care of pediatric patients with thrombosis, including the International Pediatric Thrombosis Network and the Children’s Healthcare Advancements in Thrombosis Consortium.
Conditions We Treat
The disorders we treat include:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the upper and lower extremities
- Pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST)
- Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
- Paget-Schroetter syndrome/venous thoracic outlet syndrome
- May-Thurner syndrome/Iliac vein compression syndrome
- Thrombosis due to inherited or acquired thrombophilias
- Organ specific DVT (for example, renal vein thrombosis, portal vein thrombosis, etc.)
Services We Provide
The Thrombosis Program team is led by Dr. Marisol Betensky, a national hematology expert in these disorders. She, Dr. Maha Al-Ghafry and Dr. Neil Goldenberg will coordinate your child’s care closely with other specialists as needed. Families receive clear guidance, individualized treatment plans, and consistent communication during both routine care and urgent situations.
Our services include:
- Hematological evaluation
- Thrombophilia testing and interpretation, including family history of Factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation, prothrombin (Factor II) gene mutation, antithrombin deficiency, protein C deficiency, and protein S deficiency.
- Radiologic evaluation and interpretation
- Antithrombotic medication prescription and monitoring
- Endovascular thrombus removal using methods such as thrombectomy and catheter-directed thrombolysis
- Chronic venous insufficiency/post thrombotic syndrome (PTS) evaluation and management
- Thrombosis prevention
- Patient and family education
- Local, national and international research and clinical trials
Learn More About Our Program
Hear from Neil Goldenberg, M.D., Ph.D., pediatric hematologist and associate dean for research at Johns Hopkins All Children’s, who became interested in blood disorders and clotting as a medical student, and now dedicates research efforts to better understanding blood clots and how they affect children.
National Blood Clot Alliance Stop the Clot Channel
Dr. Goldenberg presents an overview of venous thromboembolism in children and young adults in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webinar.
Refer a Patient
To refer a patient to the Pediatric Thrombosis Program, please fax a referral with the referral reason and relevant labs and clinic notes to 727-767-4379.
Locations
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Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Outpatient Care Center 601 5th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
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Read inspiring stories about our patients and program:
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Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Family's Story
After learning from a relative that some in the family had a Protein C Deficiency, which increases the risk of developing abnormal blood clots, Janet’s husband and three children all tested positive for the deficiency. The family’s pediatrician referred them to Neil A. Goldenberg, M.D., Ph.D., hematologist and director of research at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
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Dr. Marisol Betensky Seeks Answers for Children
As a specialist in pediatric hematology-oncology and leading expert in pediatric thrombosis, Marisol Betensky, M.D., director of the Pediatric Thrombosis Program, combines a passion for unlocking answers in the science of hematology and a dedication to caring for children.
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Thrombosis: Valen's Story
Born with life-threatening congenital heart defects, Valen spent his first six months in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins All Children's. Complex congenital heart defects put children at higher risk for thrombosis, which occurred in Valen. He received the specialized care he needed for blood clots in the Pediatric Thrombosis Program.
