Sickle cell disease is diagnosed by a blood test. In the US, all newborns are now screened for the condition before they are discharged from the hospital. Parents are usually given the results of this test at the child’s one-month checkup. If a child is diagnosed with sickle cell trait, his or her parents may wish to see a genetic counselor to understand what it means to be a carrier of the sickle cell gene and what the chances of having a child with the disease might be.
If the child has sickle cell disease, they should see a hematologist (specialist in blood disorders) to better understand the type of sickle cell disease the child has and to provide optimal care.