Sickle Cell Disease Health Video

Sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that causes some of the red bloods to assume a sickle or elongated shape, resulting in poor blood flow and improper oxygen delivery. Get expert tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating sickle cell anemia in this video.

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About this Author

Dr. Lyons is a general pediatrician that practices at the Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver, Washington. She went to medical school at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and did her pediatric residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. She loves being able to share in the lives of young people every day.

DR. JENNIFER LYONS: Hi. I'm Dr. Jennifer Lyons, and I'm a pediatrician at the Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver, Washington. I'm going to talk today about sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder. Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to parts of the body. In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells become hard and sticky, and they look like a C-shaped farm tool called a sickle. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can cause pain and serious problems. Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes, one from each parent. People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have the sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any symptoms of the disease, but they can pass it on to their children. Both parents must pass on the sickle cell gene for a child to be born with the disease. A genetic counselor can provide information about the chance of passing the disease to the baby. Sickle cell disease is diagnosed with a simple blood test. It is most often found at birth during routine newborn screening tests at the hospital. It can also be diagnosed before birth. People with sickle cell disease start to have symptoms during the first year of life. Symptoms and complications of sickle cell disease are different for each person and can range from mild to severe. Many people with sickle cell disease have severe episodes of pain, anemia, and increased risk of severe infections. Most people with sickle cell disease see a doctor who specializes in blood disorders, a hematologist. There symptoms can be treated and sometimes even prevented. The only care for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow stem cell transplant. This procedure can have serious risks and complications and is not appropriate for every patient. Talk to your health care provider for more information about sickle cell disease.