Sickle Cell Disease - References

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Tuberculosis skin testing should be performed every year except in patients who have tested positive in the past.

Antibiotics. In addition to regular immunizations, preventive (prophylactic) antibiotics are the best approach for protection against pneumonia and other serious infections among children with sickle cell disease. Babies diagnosed with sickle cell are given daily antibiotics, starting at 2 months of age and continuing through 5 years of age. Penicillin is usually the antibiotic given, unless a child is allergic to it.

Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

Foods. Good nutrition, while essential for anyone, is critical for patients with sickle cell disease. Some dietary recommendations include:

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• Fluids are extremely important. The patient should drink as much water as possible each day to prevent dehydration.
• Diet should provide adequate calories, protein, fats, and vitamins and minerals. Patients and families should discuss vitamin and mineral supplements with their doctors and nurses.
• Some studies suggest that omega-three fatty acids, found in fish and soybean oil as well as dietary supplements, might make red blood cell membranes less fragile and possibly less likely to sickle, although no studies have proven this definitively.

Vitamins. Patients should take daily folic acid and vitamin B12 and B6 supplements. Vitamin B6 may have specific anti-sickling properties. Some doctors recommend 1 mg folic acid, 6 microgram vitamin B12, and 6 mg vitamin B6. Foods containing one or all of these vitamins include meats, oily fish, poultry, whole grains, dried fortified cereals, soybeans, avocados, baked potatoes with skins, watermelon, plantains, bananas, peanuts, and brewer's yeast. Of note, folic acid can mask pernicious anemia, which is caused by deficiency of vitamin B12 and is more common in African-Americans than other populations.

Click the icon to see an image of vitamin B6 sources.

Note on Iron. Although sickle cell disease is often referred to as anemia, patients who receive multiple blood transfusions should avoid iron supplements or iron-rich foods, which increase the risk for iron overload.