People with sickle cell disease have periods of well-being and stages of illness. The periods of illness are called sickle cell crises. With sickle cell disease a person's red blood cells can become hard, sticky, and shaped like sickles. Sickle cell disease is a serious health problem. There are different types of sickle cell disease.
Early treatment is essential.
Some treatments are still being researched. People in many ethnic groups can have Sickle cell disease. It is most common in persons of African descent, but it is also found in persons of Hispanic origin, Greeks, Italians, East Indians, Saudi Arabians, Asians, Syrians, Turks, Cypriots, Sicilians, Caucasians, and others. All newborn babies in Texas are tested for sickle cell disease, despite race or ethnic background. People with a sickle cell trait will not get sickle cell disease , but they carry a gene that could affect their children.