What medical problems occur with sickle cell disease?
The effects of sickle cell disease vary greatly from one person to the next. Some affected children and adults are usually healthy, while others are frequently hospitalized. Some common problems seen in sickle cell disease include the following:Infections. Infants and young children with sickle cell disease are especially vulnerable to serious bacterial infections, such as those that cause meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain) and blood infection. Infections are a major cause of death in children with sickle cell disease. But deaths have declined dramatically since doctors began routinely treating children with sickle cell disease with the antibiotic penicillin to help prevent these infections. Affected children should receive penicillin twice daily between the ages of 2 months and at least 5 years of age.(1,2) Most children with sickle cell disease are now identified through newborn screening tests, so they can receive special medical care to help prevent complications. Mo
