Sickle Cell Crisis (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Sickle Cell Crisis Overview
- Sickle Cell Crisis Causes
- Sickle Cell Crisis Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Sickle Cell Crisis Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medications
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia) - Describe Your Experience
Prevention
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder that is common among African Americans. If you have sickle cell disease, you received the gene from each of your parents. If you received the gene from just one parent, you are a carrier. Genetic counseling and testing can give you information about the likelihood that you might pass on this gene to your children.
- Prevention of infection
- Infants and young children are at greatly increased risk of becoming infected with severe types of bacterial infections. Because of this increased risk, infants with sickle cell disease are placed on daily penicillin therapy until at least aged 5 years.
- It is also extremely important that infants receive all their immunizations on schedule to prevent these life-threatening infections.
- Subjecting yourself to conditions in which the oxygen concentration in the air is low may worsen sickling. This may include traveling in unpressurized airplanes or going to high altitudes.
Next: Outlook »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia) - Describe Your Experience
The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:
Please describe your experience with sickle cell disease (sickle cell anemia).
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Sickle Cell Anemia »
Sickle cell disease (SCD) and its variants are genetic disorders of mutant hemoglobins (Hb).
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