1. Sickle Cell Anemia By Alec Judge

2. What is it? Sickle cell anemia is caused by a mutation in the gene that tells your body to make hemoglobin, the red, iron-rich compound that gives blood its red color. Hemoglobin allows red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. In sickle cell anemia, the abnormal hemoglobin causes red blood cells to become rigid, sticky, and deformed. It is a disease that gets passed down from generation to generation as a recessive trait. Most people with sickle cell anemia live to about 40-50 years old.

3. How to check for it Sickle cell anemia is usually discovered as an infant, but other ways of checking is by getting a urinalysis check or chest radiology (pictured left).

4. Symptoms Symptoms include: Fatigue Pale skin Random pain Delayed growth Vision problems Fever Yellow tint to eyes Severe symptoms include: Stroke Seizures Unexplained severe pain Heart attack Fainting If you experience any of these symptoms and think it may be because sickle cell anemia, call your doctor right away.

5. Treatments or Cures? Cures- right now there is no cure for sickle cell anemia. But doctors at the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association are having success with some treatment drugs and they hopefully will be able to make it into a cure soon. Stem cell research also might be a possible cure. Treatments- There are many treatments for the symptoms of sickle cell anemia. Some include blood transplants, marrow transplants, stem cell transplants and for infants, antibiotics. Doctors are working with many treatments to hopefully turn them into cures.

6. More Info For more info go to: http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/sickle- cell- anemia/5293fc890a051fa6aa995293fc890a051fa6aa 99- 872341701252?q=sickle+cell+anemia+&FROM=LK VR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR5