Sickle Cell Disease

Wetin e be?

Sickle cell disease na one group of blood disease wey pesin fit inherit if dem mama and papa carri di problem for bodi (even though dey fit no get di disease) Di most common one wey we sabi na sickle cell anaemia (ani-mia) wey be really serious condition.

All man get red cell (and white cell) for blood.

Red cell dey carry oxygen through di blood to evri part of di bodi-na how bodi dey get enerji be dat.

Normally, red cell dey get round shape, but if pesin get sickle cell disease, dem red cell go change shape come be like sickle (sickle na same shape wit crescent moon)

Red cell wey get dis abnormal sickle shape dey quick die and dey block di blood vessel.

Na pipo from African and Caribbean origin dey get sickle cell disease pass

Which common sign dey show if pesin get Sickle Cell Disease?

Most pipo wey dem born wit Sickle Cell Disease dey get problem from wen dem be small pikin. Di most common problem na:

• serious pain wey go dey affect different part of di bodi (arm, leg, joint, back, chest or abdomen). Di pain fit last up to one week at a time

• pesin go dey get plenti infection

• anaemia (wen pesin red blood cell no fit carry enough oxygen round di bodi): dis wan go dey cause tiredness

Which kain treatment dey for Sickle Cell Disease?

Pipo wey get sickle cell go need to manage di disease all through their life. E get different tings wey dem fit do:

• to dey drink plenti water and keep warm. Dis one go help prevent di pain wey dey common wit di disease

• painkiller like paracetamol or ibuprofen dey useful for di pain. Sometimes doctor go need to give stronger painkiller for hospital

• to prevent infection, e dey veri important to collect di necessary vaccination

• sometimes, wen di condition dey worse, e go dey necessary for doctor to do blood transfusion (wen dem take extra blood add to pesin own)

E get some treatment wey fit cure Sickle Cell disease- wey dem call stem cell or bone marrow transplant. But dem no too common because dem fit dey veri risky.

Pipo wey get Sickle Cell disease no dey usually live as long as pipo wey no get di condition, but dis go depend on di type of sickle cell wey dem get, how dem dey treat am and di kain problem wey dem dey experience wit di disease. But dis one no mean say you no fit enjoy you life. Although di disease fit dey challenging, many pipo wey get sickle cell dey live normal life and dey achieve anyting wey dem put their mind to do.