Anemia is a condition in which there aren't enough red blood cells in the bloodstream to carry an adequate amount of oxygen to cells throughout the body. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form. Red blood cells are normally round and flexible, but in people with sickle cell anemia, the blood cells are more rigid and are shaped liked crescents or sickles. Because they aren't shaped normally, these abnormal blood cells can become stuck in smaller blood vessels. Sickle cell anemia is usually diagnosed when a person is an infant. Symptoms usually begin after the infant reaches 4 months.
Pain
Pain can develop in the chest, abdomen, bones and joints. The pain's intensity can vary and can occur over a few hours to a few weeks. These episodes of pain are called crises. Some people have only a few crises; other people can have dozens of these episodes of pain per year.
Anemia
Because red blood cells in people who have sickle cell anemia do not live as long as red blood cells in unaffected people, there's a shortage of the red blood cells. This means that there aren't enough red blood cells to carry oxygen, which results in fatigue and the body not having enough oxygen to feel energized.
Jaundice
This is a symptom that is the yellowing of skin and the whites of the eyes. Jaundice is normally caused by the liver not functioning properly or damage to the liver. For people with sickle cell anemia, the breakdown of the sickle cells causes the liver to work harder to filter out substances from the bloodstream that are harmful.
Swelling
Swelling of the hands and feet can be one of the first visible symptoms in an infant. The swelling occurs because the sickle cells block the flow of blood from the hands and feet.
Infections
Sickle cells can cause damage to the spleen, an organ in the human body that helps to fight infections. An increase in the number of infections is a symptom of sickle cell anemia.
Vision
Symptoms of sickle cell anemia include problems with vision. Sickle cells can become blocked in the small blood vessels of the eye and can cause damage to the retina, which affects the eye's ability to process visual images.
Growth
Delays in growth are signs of the condition of sickle cell anemia. Red blood cells, in addition to carrying oxygen, carry nutrients throughout the body and help the body to grow. When there are not enough healthy red blood cells in an infant, there can be a delay in normal growth. This can also result in a delay in puberty.
