Sickle Cell Anemia Paper

Abstract

Anemia has many different forms including iron deficiency anemia and sickle cell anemia. It all comes down to a lack in red blood cell count. This lack is very important because our bodies need oxygen to operate correctly. There are ways to prevent some types of anemia. It is good to know your family’s history because some types of anemia are passed down through the family. If the body has a lack of oxygen some very severe things may occur. These things include stroke and disruption in growth. In the Aplastic anemia, the body is lacking in more than just red blood cells. In this type of anemia, the body lacks in white blood cells and platelets. The people who are most at risk for this type of anemia are people who are taking chemotherapy

The red blood cell should look like a disc. It is thin in the middle because it is biconcave in order to maximize the efficiency and use of the cell. In Sickle cell anemia the cell is not the correct shape and their it cannot complete its job of carrying oxygen to the accurate places. This type of anemia cannot be cured and is chronic. With this rare blood disorder, the red blood cells die earlier than the typical lifespan. The shape of the red blood cell is irregular in this case which means that the cell cannot flow the way they are supposed to. This can cause a blockage and backup of blood flow and cells and this generally causes pain for the person who is suffering with the disorder. Sickle cell anemia is inherited and passed down through families. The symptoms of Sickle cell include a delay in growth, vision problems, and pain. The pain usually comes and goes. Some people report that the pain is so severe that they need to be hospitalized in order to get a handle on the severity. The reason there is a delay in growth is because when the misshaped blood cells create a blockage, there is a decrease in oxygen to certain portions of the body. Sometimes with Sickle cell people experience swollen hands and feet. Not everyone who is affected with Sickle cell will pass it on when they have a child. The probability in passing it along increase when both parents carry the disease

This is a lack of red blood cells caused by low iron in the person’s body. If a person’s body is low on iron, this will make it difficult for the red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues. Many people go undiagnosed with this type of anemia. If the deficiency isn’t much, the signs and symptoms may not be very noticeable. With a larger decrease in iron, the signs and symptoms will become more apparent and obvious. Some of the signs and symptoms include but are not limited to fatigue, pale skin, headache, dizziness or lightheadedness, cold hands and feet, and shortness of breath. In children with iron deficiency anemia, they typically have a poor appetite. Things that can cause this type of anemia include blood loss, a poor amount of iron in a person’s diet, inability or hard time absorbing iron, and pregnancy. Iron deficiency anemia can cause a person to have heart problems, problems during pregnancy, and growth problems. It is important to know if a child or infant has this anemia so that it can be fixed and prevent stunts in growth. This anemia can easily be treated by eating iron rich foods or taking an iron supplement. Anemia can be tested for by having a complete blood count. Since some anemias are a decrease in red blood cells due to production, this is an easy way to test for it. Also, there is a test to determine the size and color of the red blood cells. This helps because