Parents of children with sickle cell anemia should learn to regularly feel their child's spleen for enlargement. A large number of sickle cells can get trapped in the spleen, causing it to enlarge and possibly causing belly pain on the left side of the body. This lack of oxygen-rich blood can damage nerves and organs, including kidneys, liver and spleen, and can be fatal. In sickle cell anemia, blood is also chronically low in oxygen. Sickle cells that block blood flow to organs deprive the affected organs of blood and oxygen. Shortness of breath and fatigue are common symptoms of this condition, which can be fatal. This complication usually affects adults. People with sickle cell anemia can develop high blood pressure in their lungs. It might require emergency medical treatment. A lung infection or sickle cells blocking blood vessels in the lungs can cause this life-threatening complication, resulting in chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing. If your child has any of these signs and symptoms, seek medical treatment immediately. Signs of stroke include seizures, weakness or numbness of the arms and legs, sudden speech difficulties, and loss of consciousness. Sickle cells can block blood flow to an area of the brain. Sickle cell anemia can lead to a host of complications, including: In the United States, sickle cell anemia most commonly affects people of African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent. Risk factorsįor a baby to be born with sickle cell anemia, both parents must carry a sickle cell gene. They're carriers of the disease, however, which means they can pass the gene to their children. Their blood might contain some sickle cells, but they generally don't have symptoms. With one typical hemoglobin gene and one altered form of the gene, people with the sickle cell trait make both typical hemoglobin and sickle cell hemoglobin. If only one parent passes the sickle cell gene to the child, that child will have the sickle cell trait. The hemoglobin associated with sickle cell anemia causes red blood cells to become rigid, sticky and misshapen.įor a child to be affected, both mother and father must carry one copy of the sickle cell gene - also known as sickle cell trait - and pass both copies of the altered form to the child. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Sickle cell anemia is caused by a change in the gene that tells the body to make the iron-rich compound in red blood cells called hemoglobin. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic Causes One-sided paralysis or weakness in the face, arms or legs.Seek emergency care for symptoms of stroke, which include: Because children with sickle cell anemia are prone to infections, which often start with a fever and can be life-threatening, seek prompt medical attention for a fever greater than 101.5 F (38.5 C). See your health care provider right away if you or your child has symptoms of sickle cell anemia. This can damage the retina - the portion of the eye that processes visual images - and lead to vision problems. Tiny blood vessels that supply the eyes can become plugged with sickle cells. A shortage of healthy red blood cells can slow growth in infants and children and delay puberty in teenagers. Red blood cells provide the body with the oxygen and nutrients needed for growth. Infants and children with sickle cell anemia commonly receive vaccinations and antibiotics to prevent potentially life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia. Sickle cells can damage the spleen, increasing vulnerability to infections. The swelling is caused by sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking blood circulation in the hands and feet. Some adolescents and adults with sickle cell anemia also have chronic pain, which can result from bone and joint damage, ulcers, and other causes. A severe pain crisis requires a hospital stay. Some people have only a few pain crises a year. The pain varies in intensity and can last for a few hours to a few days. Pain develops when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to your chest, abdomen and joints. Periodic episodes of extreme pain, called pain crises, are a major symptom of sickle cell anemia.

Without enough red blood cells, the body can't get enough oxygen and this causes fatigue.Įpisodes of pain. But sickle cells typically die in 10 to 20 days, leaving a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). Red blood cells usually live for about 120 days before they need to be replaced. They vary from person to person and may change over time. Signs and symptoms of sickle cell anemia usually appear around 6 months of age.

Simplemind map for sickle cell anemia