Tell your child's doctor right away if you think your child has any of these problems. At this time, there is no cure for most people with sickle cell disease. Medical advances are constantly happening. For up to date information, ask your doctor at the Pediatric Sickle Cell Treatment Center. As the sickle hemoglobin abnormality is inherited, your other children may also carry the sickle hemoglobin gene.
Prenatal testing is available.
The testing is quite accurate and can tell whether the child has sickle cell trait, sickle cell disease, or neither. If you are pregnant and would like additional information, you may contact the Genetic Testing and Counseling Center nearest you. Centers are listed on page 44 of this guide. Like other children, the child born with sickle cell trait has two genes for hemoglobin. One gene is normal while the other gene makes sickle hemoglobin.