Sickle+Cell+Anemia

__**Sickle Cell Anemia**__
The Sickle Cell Anemia is a genetic mutation which prevents the oxygen, in normal blood cells, from traveling into the brain, heart, lungs, and liver. Proteins are always found in RBC’s (Red Blood Cells). However, Sickle Cell Anemia is a blood disorder that affects the RBC’s, which carries the oxygen throughout your body. Once you have Sickle Cell Anemia, you most likely will have blocked a blood vessel which causes pain in the body’s tissues and organs and will prevent the oxygen from arriving in the vital parts of your body.

Sickle Cell disease occurs when two abnormal genes are inherited by each parent (if both are carriers) causing the RBC’s (Red Blood Cells) to change shape. Normal healthy Blood Cells are a flexible disk shape that passes easily through the blood stream. On the other hand, bad blood cells – known as Sickle Cells - are sticky, curved, and stiff. The reason why it is called a “Sickle” Cell is because of a farmer’s tool, known as the sickle and also of the shape of the crescent moon. Once you have sickle cells in your body, there will be high chances of blockages in your blood vessel, causing severe pain.



There are many benefits of this disease. For example, medicine– known as Folic Acids - has been produced to produce new and healthy blood cells. Also, children and babies must take a daily dose of penicillin to prevent possible deadly infections. Drinking lots of water, resting, and doing few physical activities are advised by doctors. Finally, blood transfusions are also an available possibility of treating Sickle Cell Disease. If you are diagnosed with the Sickle Cell disease, you are provided with instant protection from catching malaria.

Not only are there benefits, but there are limitations as well. Since Blood Cells carry oxygen to the vital points of your body, sickle cell disease prevents the oxygen from reaching the vital areas of the body, causing them to gradually die. Also, once the mutated cells are stuck in the vessels, primarily blocking the oxygen and normal blood cells to go through, intense pain – crises – delayed growth, strokes, and jaundice will soon occur as symptoms. Once a person has Sickle Cell disease, they will be limited to which physical activities that they do. More amount of liquids must be taken because they loose more blood cells than the average person.



Having Sickle Cell does not drastically effect a person economically. Since there isn't an official cure for the disease, there are many preventions in which can help a case of Sickle Cell Anemia. Antibiotics and pain relief drugs are not expensive but they do cost money. You won't need to worry about your financial and economic state to take care of the SCD (Sickle Cell Disease). However, if you do not use antibiotics or pain relief drugs, then you will feel fatigue, pain, and will start to feel sick. This will effect your working hours if you are always at doctor appointments.

Sickle Cell Anemia is common/cultural in the African and African American race. The gene is also found in southern Europe, the Middle East, and India. It is most prominent in the African and African American race. Sickle Cell disease can be discovered through blood tests to see if you are a carrier. If you are diagnosed with SCD, in Africa, then you are protected from malaria. This has a huge effect on Africans by the fact that malaria kills 3000 children per day.

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 * 3) [|http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html#]
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