Sickle Cell Anemia
Juliana Carey Class: 1
The Basics
Sickle cell anemia is a very serious disease. Red blood cells are supposed to look like doughnuts, but without the hole, where in sickle cell anemia red blood cells are shaped like a crescent roll. This causes it to be caught get in the blood vessels, which can block the blood flow to important organs and limbs. Common symptoms include, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, coldness in hands and feet, unusual pail skin, and jaundice skin.
Causes of Disorders
Sickle cell anemia is only inherited, when the offspring is given two genes of sickle hemoglobin, one from each parent. If the offspring only has one sickle hemoglobin, then they will carry it in their genes, the disease itself will unaffected the offspring they will carry it on the next generation. When both parents carry the trait, 25% of their offspring will have sickle cell anemia, 50% of their offspring will carry the trait, and the other 25% will be completely unaffected.
Long Term Effects
Sickle cell anemia is there at birth, though the symptoms do not appear at birth. They will usually start to show around 4 months old. People with this disorder can liv pretty normal lives, as long as they have proper medication to relieve the symptoms. Depending on the person, depends on the seriousness of the symptoms, meaning some people have worse symptoms than others. When infected with sickle cell anemia, that person will live through their forties, fifties, and sometimes longer.
Treatments
Sickle cell anemia has no real treatment, but there are prescriptions and medications that can help cure the symptoms. With this disease one is more likely to have strokes, organ damage, and control complications. Those could be avoided with medicine. Another option is bone and marrow stem transport. It will not cure it all the way, but it will help. Hopefully in the future, scientist will find a cure.