What are the symptoms of SCD?
SCD causes minimal effects in some people and more serious problems in others. Most people with SCD do not develop all of the symptoms. Symptoms can be chronic (on-going or long-term) or acute (immediate or short-term). It is important to be educated about the symptoms so that they can be properly managed. The symptoms of SCD are related to anemia, pain or the effects of SCD on specific body parts. Most infants do not show signs of SCD until they are a few months old. Often, the first sign of SCD is pain or swelling in the child’s hands or feet when small blood vessels become blocked. This causes some children to develop a fever. Signs of anemia include: • Fatigue (feeling tired or weak) • Shortness of breath • Dizziness • Headaches • Cold hands or feet • Pale skin • Chest pain Most people with SCD experience pain at some point in their life. An episode of pain that occurs because tissues do not have enough oxygen is called a sickle cell crisis. Some people with SCD have one or fewer p
