Genetic Disorders: Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder it is also known as sickle cell disease. A genetic disorder is something that is passed down from parent to child. This is a disease of the hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood of vertebrates. Sickle cell anemia causes your red blood cells to stiffen, although your red blood cell are supposed to be flexible. They need to be flexible because they have to fit through small and large spaces. The red cell turns into a sickle shape. This is usually seen in african americans found in countries by the equator. There are some ways you can help with the symptoms that you would have if you had sickle cell anemia. In 1990 hetric described an anemia charistic

If you have two hemoglobin abnormalities than you have hemoglobin ss. Hemoglobin ss is sickle cell anemia, it is the most common and basically the worst. Sickle cell anemia is a mutation. There is also a mutation gene that helps make hemoglobin and the red blood cells turn into a sickle shape. Sickle cell disease or sickle cell anemia is present at birth but there is no actual problem until five to six months of age. There are so many possible effects when having this genetic disorder. The pain can strike anywhere at anytime and not just in one place for example your hands, feet, legs, abdomen, chest, and lower back. Some people say that it can feel as worse as stabbing and throbbing. Some of the reasons for this type of pain to happen is things like just getting sick imagine if pain like this would happen from getting a cold. You can also get it from temperature changes, stress, high altitudes, severe infection, not drinking enough. This can make you have b things like eye problems, brain complications it can even affect your pregnancy, your mental health, liver complications, gallstones, kidney problems, pulmonary hypertension, heart disease. Those are only of the complications that u could have with sickle cell

The most common way to help is a bone marrow transplant also known as the stem cell transplant. You would usually want a matched donor for this transplant. This transplant is usually reserved for people sixteen or younger. The risk for the surgery increase with people over the age of sixteen. Also finding a donor is extremely difficult, and you can risk death by doing the surgery. You would need to take medication with taking the surgery to help with the pain. There is also an option for a blood transfusion surgery. Kids that have sickle cell anemia take antibiotic penicillin at the age of two months old to five years old. Childhood vaccinations are extremely important you also get vaccinations to prevent infection If you are wanting to reduce pain then you can take hydroxyurea reduce a pain crises. Another option is a blood transfusion when you have a blood transfusion the red blood cells from the donor are taken out and then given to someone with sickle cell anemia. There is also a experiment going on with bone marrow