Sylvia was a young girl who suffered from Sickle Cell Disease(SCD). This disease defined large sections of her life including her choices, values and principles. She grew up going through good and bad times with her health, sometimes months without any problems and then other months with PERSISTENT PAIN. She was lucky to have parents who were able to support and provide for her through the challenges because there were though times.
Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited disease which means that it is passed down to children from their parents. This genetic condition changes the shape of the red blood cells and causes other serious health complications.
The underlying cause of Sickle cell disease is a mutation in the HBB gene which provides instructions for making hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body. The mutation causes the hemoglobin to form long, rigid structures that deform the red blood cells into a sickle shape.
The sickle shaped cells can also become stuck in small blood in small blood vessels preventing oxygen from reaching tissues and organs.
This can cause a range of symptoms and complications including Jaundice, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, infections , vision problems, delay growth and development e.t.c.
Individuals with sickle cell disease can take several self-care measures to minimize the severity of pain by drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, Avoid extreme temperature, Eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables, getting adequate sleep and rest, managing stress through relaxation e.t.c.
While it is not possible to completely prevent sickle cell anaemia, there are several strategies that can help individual reduce their risk of passing the disease to their children. They include:
*Genetic counseling.
* Prenatal Testing.
*Health maintenance.
* Bone marrow transplantation which is a potential cure for sickle cell anaemia and can be considered as an option for individuals with a matched donor. This procedure involves replacing the bone marrow cells of a person with sickle cell anaemia with healthy bone marrow cells from a donor. The Bone marrow transplantation is an effective cure for Sickle Cell Disease.
Comments