Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia (sih-kul sell uh-nee-mee-uh) is a blood disorder, passed down from parents to children. It involves problems the red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are round and smooth and move through blood vessels easily. Sickle cells are hard and have a curved edge. These cells cannot squeeze through small blood vessels. They block the organs from getting blood. Your body destroys sickle red cells quickly, but it can't make new red blood cells fast enough-- a condition called anemia. Sickle cell anemia can cause serious health problems:

• pain and swelling the hands and feet
• fatigue
• shortness of breath
• pain in any organ or joint
• eye damage
• yellow color in skin and eyes
• slow to grow
• hard to fight infections
• stroke
• chest pain
• fever

Every year, about 1 in 500 African Americans are born with sickle cell anemia. This means that they got the sickle gene from both parents. People who have only one gene are carriers of the sickle cell, but won't get sickle cell anemia themselves. They can pass the gene to their children. It is estimated that one in 12 African Americans have one sickle cell gene.