Sickle Cell
Sickle Cell
Sickle Cell
http://www.sicklecellanemia.ca/
http://www.sicklecellsupportgroup.org
http://www.sicklecellsociety.org/
These groups provide information about sickle cell to those who have it and provide a safe (and
informed) place for them to talk about problems related to their illness. Support groups also raise
awareness and hold fundraisers for sickle cell research, in addition to being a good source of
information to those who do not have sickle cell.
Treatments available
People with sickle cell are at risk for severe infections because their spleen does not work properly.
Children with sickle cell can take two tablets of penicillin daily to reduce the risk of serious
infection, but penicillin isnt usually prescribed for sickle cell past the age of five (except for those
who have had their spleens surgically removed).
Another medicine called hydroxyurea can be used to help with many of the more fatal symptoms of
sickle cell (including severe anemia, artery/blood vessel blockages, and painful episodes), and can
be prescribed to children over nine months old. It is dangerous to use during pregnancy, however,
and can cause the users white blood cell count or platelet count to decrease which can be very
dangerous when paired with extreme anemia.
Barring the risk of transmitted disease, blood transfusions are considered the most stable method
of treating SCD (and anemia). This treatment can also be used for strokes, chest crises, and
multi-organ failure. Stem cells can also be taken from a donors blood or bone marrow (the donor is
usually a close relative, like a brother or sister) to replace the diseased cells in the persons body.
The new cells created from the donors stem cells will not sickle, but this treatment has also
caused severe complications in 15% of the children that it was given to.
Frequency of occurrence
Approximately 1 in every 13 black or
African-American babies are born with sickle
cell trait, which can lead to sickle cell disease in
their children. Of their 318.9 million person
population, an estimated 100 000 americans
have SCD with 60-80% being black or
African-American. With the discovery of new
treatments and vaccinations, infant mortality as
a result of SCD has gone down by 42% from
1999 to 2002. Though no new screenings have
been done since, medicine in 2017 is much
more advanced that it was nearly 15 years ago,
and more treatments exist now for SCD than
ever before.
Alternative approaches
Most of the treatments available for sickle cell disease are a result of years of
research and advanced medicine, so there isnt a way yet to treat SCD without
seeing a doctor. Home remedies can be used to treat some of its painful
symptoms, but unfortunately the only treatment close to a cure that is available
today involves a blood transfusion (or at least the use of drugs).
Sources
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/treatment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sickle-cell_disease
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sickle-cell-anemia/home/ovc-20303
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