IMPACT OF SICKLE CELL ANEMIA
Statistics
Around 72,000 people in the United States have sickle cell anemia, most of whom are African Americans. About 1 in 500 African American babies have sickle cell anemia, and 1 in 36,000 Hispanic American babies also inherit it. As previously stated, about 1 in 12 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait. Although this doesn't necessarily mean they have the disease, people with the trait could potentially pass sickle cell anemia on to their children.
Complications
|
|
Psychological Problems
Having a chronic illness can often cause psychological issues, especially in children.
Some of these include:
Some of these include:
- emotional problems
- behavior problems
- less athleticism, partially due to medical problems
- difficulty with academics
Impact on the Family
Many times it is forgotten that the family of a child with a chronic sickness is also affected by the disease. In the case of sickle cell anemia, many issues and struggles can occur for the loved ones of a child with this genetic disorder. Some of these include:
- increased stress
- having to manage pain episodes, which are unpredictable
- teaching their child how to deal with sickle cell disease
- ensuring that the child has the proper diet
The statistics regarding medical issues for parents of kids with sickle cell are the following:
- 24% of parents with young children who have sickle cell anemia are suffering from psychological distress
- 50% of parents who have children with sickle cell anemia are at risk for depression, compared to 34% of parents whose children have HIV