Citations

"Genetic Counseling." Human Genome Project Information. 1 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Genetic Disease Profile: Sickle Cell Anemia." Gene Gateway. 1 5 Mar. 2009 .

"How Is Sickle Cell Anemia Diagnosed?." Sickle Cell Anemia. 1 National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Inheritance of Sickle Cell Amaemia." 1 Sickle Cell Society. 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Mortality in sickle cell disease. Life expectancy and risk factors for early death.." PubMed. 1 NCBI. 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Prevalence and Incidence of Sickle Cell Anemia." WD. 1 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Sickle Cell Disease." KidsHealth. 1 5 Mar. 2009 .

"What is Sickle Cell Disease?." About Sickle Cell Disease. 1 SCDAA. 5 Mar. 2009 .

"Sickle-Cell Disease." About.com. 1 7 Mar. 2009

"Psychosocial Issues." Department of Health and Senior Services. 1 7 Mar. 2009

"New hope for sickle cell cure." BBCNEWS. 1 7 Mar. 2009

How Possible is it That a Cure Will be Found?

There is some speculation that there may be some way to cure this disease through stem cell research. Right now, though, there is no cure for Sickle Cell.

What are Some Organizations that Can Help a Family Cope with a Child's Disorder?

Here are some sites that can help with this disease:

• http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/
  
• http://www.scinfo.org/
• http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/sicklecell/familyguide/

What Limitations Does the Person Have?

The person cannot do a lot of very physical things. As I stated before, they have lower amounts of oxygen in their blood, it is harder to do things that require a lot of oxygen. If they do participate in activities, then they need to constantly replenish fluids because they loose more than normal. They must also try to stay away from high altitudes because of the lack of oxygen. 

What is Everyday Life Like? What is the Quality of Life?

If a person has Sickle Cell, then they have to change their life quite a lot. In order to stay healthy, a person must try to stay away from large crowds because they are prone to infections. They also need to avoid any activities that require large amounts of oxygen. Since the Sickle Cell red blood cells cannot carry as much oxygen as normal  blood cells, there is less oxygen being carried through the blood stream. The diet of someone with this disease consists with large amounts of protein, vitamins, and liquids. Life is much harder for someone with this disease, but can be close to normal if they take care of themselves properly. 

How can the Disease be Treated?

Various treatments are out there for Sickle Cell:

• Blood transfusion- this puts more normal blood cells in the blood to help with circulation
• Hydroxyurea- this medicine helps reduce pains 
• Eating right and exercise helps to keep the person healthy

What is the Life Expectancy of Someone with the Disease?

The average age for males is 42.

The average age for females is 48.