About this topic
Sickle cell anemia is also called sickle cell disease. It affects the red blood cells. Normally, these cells are round. With sickle cell disease, they are shaped like a crescent or the letter C. These abnormal blood cells get stuck in the blood vessels very easily. Then, they cannot bring enough oxygen to the body. When there is a pile up of abnormal-shaped red blood cells, they can block the blood vessel. This can cause other signs like pain, fever, and swelling. ‚
Doctors treat this illness by working to lower the signs. Managing pain may be very challenging. The pain is described as deep, gnawing, and throbbing. In the painful areas, your skin becomes tender, red, and warm. ‚
Pain in sickle cell anemia can be treated with drugs and fluids. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your childs doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- The doctor will give your child drugs. Give them as ordered by the doctor.
- After a blood transfusion, keep the puncture site clean and dry for the next 24 hours.
- Avoid letting your child swim in cold water and being in cold places. The cold can narrow blood vessels and make pain worse.
- Give your child 6 to 8 glasses of fluids each day.
- Keep your child away from places that are too hot. It is easy to lose too much fluid.
- Keep your child away from sick people, especially those who have colds and infections.
- Give your child rest periods.
- Teach your child how to manage stress (deep breathing, mild exercise).
- Keep your child away from secondhand smoke.
- If your doctor tells your child to use heat to help with pain, put a heating pad on the sore area for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never let your child go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
- Massage the painful areas to lessen the pain.
- Bring your child to a support group. This may help your child learn to cope with the condition.
What follow-up care is needed?
The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
Your child may have to limit activity. Talk to the doctor about the right amount of activity for your child. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if your child has signs of a heart attack or stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your childs chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if your child has: ‚
- Signs of heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fast heartbeat
- Feeling dizzy
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call your doctor if your child has: ‚
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Pain in the calf and leg
- Swelling on the thigh, calf, ankle, or foot
- Too much pain that does not go away after taking pain drugs
- Very bad belly pain or swollen belly
- Ulcerations in the legs
- Trouble with eyesight
- Feelings of being tired more than usual
- Swollen and painful joints
- Painful erection of the penis or erection that does not go away
- Your child is not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or your child is feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can help my child tell about the pain.
- I can tell you what may help ease my childs pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has signs of a heart attack or stroke.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has too much pain.
Where can I learn more?
FamilyDoctor ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/sickle-cell-disease/treatment.html ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html# ‚
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/names.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚