Thankfully,since my cousin is a doctor,I do know what sickle
cell anaemia is.and no,you did not insult my intelligence,I heard
of it before.You dun need to get so winded up lah man.Chill.
What is sickle cell
anaemia?
Sickle Cell Anaemia is an inherited blood disorder, which mainly
affects people of Afro-Caribbean origin, and some people from the
Mediterranean region, Arabia and Asia
What causes sickle cell
anaemiaWithin our blood vessels are red blood cells (which
are shaped like doughnuts). These red blood cells contain a protein
called haemoglobin (HbA). The function of haemoglobin is to carry
oxygen from the lungs to all parts of our body.
Sickle Cell Anaemia occurs when the Hba is replaced by sickle
haemoglobin. When you have sickle haemoglobin, your red blood cells
become sickle-shaped, therefore, they cannot pass through very
small blood vessels. This causes blockage, resulting in lack of
oxygen to parts of the body which in turn results in pain, and/or
damage to vital organs.
How does a person get sickle cell
disease and anaemia?
Sickle Cell Anaemia is not 'catching'. We all have two copies of
the gene for HbA, one inherited from our mother and one inherited
from our father. Now, if one parent carries the HbS gene then
sickle cell trait can occur in their baby. This means that the
child is a carrier of the sickle cell gene, but has enough HbA to
keep their red blood cells flexible. So the child will not have the
symptoms of Sickle Cell Anaemia. Very occasionally they have to be
careful when doing things that demand less oxygen than normal, for
example scuba diving. If both parents carry the trait then the
child may be born with the full Sickle Cell Disease with the
symptoms as described below.
There are other types of haemoglobin such as HbC and beta
thalassaemia, that when combined with sickle haemoglobin cause
sickling disorders. Consequently, there are different forms of
Sickle Cell Disorder, which occur in different ethnic groups.
The symptoms of sickle cell
disease and anaemia:Symptoms include fatigue,
breathlessness, bone and joint pain, weakness and susceptibility to
infections. People affected with Sickle Cell Anaemia also
experience what's known as 'crisis'. These are severe attacks which
can encompass the aforementioned symptoms as well as jaundice,
fever and vomiting. A crisis usually leads to hospitalisation, and
in some cases a blood transfusion is needed. Repeated crisis can
lead to liver, lung, kidney damage and other medical
conditions.
Managing sickle cell disease and
anaemia:
There is no cure for the disease but daily medication and regular
hospital check-ups keep Sickle Cell Anaemia manageable. People with
the condition are able to go to school, college or work but, of
course, may have to take time off for periods of illness. Like with
many other conditions, it's a matter of being aware of the
'limitations' of the disease and taking precautions. So, for
instance, avoiding strenuous and emotional stress, drinking plenty
of fluids to avoid dehydration and being able to recognise the
onset of illness is important.
and there you have it.
