FACTS ABOUT THE SICKLE CELL DISEASE
May 22, 2007
What is the sickle cell disease?<br>It is a disorder in the blood that children inherit from both parents. The shape of a normal red blood cell is round like a coin and freely moves through the smallest blood vessels. But, in people with the sickle cell disease, the blood cells lose their round sha
What is the sickle cell disease?
It is a disorder in the blood that children inherit from both parents. The shape of a normal red blood cell is round like a coin and freely moves through the smallest blood vessels. But, in people with the sickle cell disease, the blood cells lose their round shape to look like a banana or a sickle. That means they lose the ability to pass through the smallest blood vessels and a sickler’s blood cell may get stuck and block the flow of blood. This cuts off the oxygen supply resulting into a painful crisis.
How do you manage it?
Presently, there is no cure. However, you can minimise the frequency of crises and learn to deal with them when they occur
lTake a lot of non-alcoholic fluids when a crisis occurs. Mukiibi says they advise adults from 13 years and above to take five litres daily, while children below 13, should take at least three litres. Children with the disease must carry water bottles to school and their teachers must understand that they may want to ease themselves more often than others. Parents too must know that such children are more likely to wet their beds. Plenty of liquids in the body helps in flashing out the sickled cells and allow easy flow
- Use mild pain killers and if the pain is severe, doctors can prescribe stronger drugs. Mukiibi says the most common drugs used in Uganda are panadol, imbrufen, diaclophenic, petinedin, oral morphine, anti-malarial and antibiotics
- Malaria, the greatest threat to sickler children, must be treated promptly and preventive measures like mosquito nets and weekly prevention medicine given
- Nankanja said because the level of blood (haemoglobin) is too low, sicklers often become anaemic.
They advise their adult members to drink a litre of boiled avocado leaves every three months, while children must take half a litre, once in two months. She added that haemoglobin levels should not be too high because it causes bloody sputum and urine or oozing of blood from the nose and ears. It could also lead to a stroke if a blood clot goes to the brain
- Have a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables reinforced by multivitamin and folic acid supplements
- Avoid coldness. At Mulago, 70% of hospital admissions amongst sicklers is during cold weather. Wear warm clothes, move with jackets, gloves, scarfs and socks
- Maintain good health and personal cleanliness
- Avoid strenuous activities and stressful conditions
lHave regular medical care and immediate attention for any infection, illness or injury. Get regular check-ups (every three months)
Prevention
The only way to stop the sickle cell disease is to prevent it at conception and that is the work of parents
Mukiibi appeals to all couples to test their blood genotype before deciding to have a child. The doctor will advise on who is at risk of getting sicklers Mulago charges sh15,000 for the test and SCAU is still appealing to the Government to make it free.
Compiled by Josephine Maseruka
It is a disorder in the blood that children inherit from both parents. The shape of a normal red blood cell is round like a coin and freely moves through the smallest blood vessels. But, in people with the sickle cell disease, the blood cells lose their round shape to look like a banana or a sickle. That means they lose the ability to pass through the smallest blood vessels and a sickler’s blood cell may get stuck and block the flow of blood. This cuts off the oxygen supply resulting into a painful crisis.
How do you manage it?
Presently, there is no cure. However, you can minimise the frequency of crises and learn to deal with them when they occur
lTake a lot of non-alcoholic fluids when a crisis occurs. Mukiibi says they advise adults from 13 years and above to take five litres daily, while children below 13, should take at least three litres. Children with the disease must carry water bottles to school and their teachers must understand that they may want to ease themselves more often than others. Parents too must know that such children are more likely to wet their beds. Plenty of liquids in the body helps in flashing out the sickled cells and allow easy flow
- Use mild pain killers and if the pain is severe, doctors can prescribe stronger drugs. Mukiibi says the most common drugs used in Uganda are panadol, imbrufen, diaclophenic, petinedin, oral morphine, anti-malarial and antibiotics
- Malaria, the greatest threat to sickler children, must be treated promptly and preventive measures like mosquito nets and weekly prevention medicine given
- Nankanja said because the level of blood (haemoglobin) is too low, sicklers often become anaemic.
They advise their adult members to drink a litre of boiled avocado leaves every three months, while children must take half a litre, once in two months. She added that haemoglobin levels should not be too high because it causes bloody sputum and urine or oozing of blood from the nose and ears. It could also lead to a stroke if a blood clot goes to the brain
- Have a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables reinforced by multivitamin and folic acid supplements
- Avoid coldness. At Mulago, 70% of hospital admissions amongst sicklers is during cold weather. Wear warm clothes, move with jackets, gloves, scarfs and socks
- Maintain good health and personal cleanliness
- Avoid strenuous activities and stressful conditions
lHave regular medical care and immediate attention for any infection, illness or injury. Get regular check-ups (every three months)
Prevention
The only way to stop the sickle cell disease is to prevent it at conception and that is the work of parents
Mukiibi appeals to all couples to test their blood genotype before deciding to have a child. The doctor will advise on who is at risk of getting sicklers Mulago charges sh15,000 for the test and SCAU is still appealing to the Government to make it free.
Compiled by Josephine Maseruka