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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> Since it is a genetic disease, parents can know prior to conception the chances that their child will have sickle cell anemia. If two people with a genetic predisposition to sickle cell but don't have the disease decide to have a baby, there's a one-in-four chance their child will have the condition, the NHLBI said.
Once sickle cell is detected in a newborn, the child must undergo a series of protective treatments, said Ann Earles, a registered nurse and director and chairwoman of the International Association of Sickle Cell Nurses and Physician Assistants.
Penicillin is administered to prevent potential infections, and the child is inoculated against pneumococcus bacteria and other virulent diseases.
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"For parents who have babies with the disease, they have to be especially aware of any kind of infection, and make sure they get immediate care," Earles said.
Pain management also is an important part of treating sickle cell disease. Pain-killing medicines ranging from acetaminophen to morphine are employed by doctors, depending on the level of discomfort.
Beyond that, therapy often depends on what complications have arisen. Since any part of the body can be affected by sickle cell-related loss of blood flow, the complications are many and varied.
For example, someone with acute anemia might require a blood transfusion, which is a common treatment for sickle cell disease. Others might find their vision affected as the disease robs their retina of blood oxygen, or can suffer a pneumonia-like episode in which sickle cells are trapped in the lungs.
Complications also can affect a child's cognition, Earles said.
"Studies have shown that school-age children have mini-strokes, brain damage from the cells sickling that may not present itself as a full stroke," Earles said. "They need to have special testing to make sure if they have learning disabilities, those are identified."
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