• By Dana Sparks

Sickle cell anemia: An inherited form of anemia

March 6, 2017

medical illustration of red blood cell and abnormally shaped red sickle cells




Symptoms and Causes


  • Frequent infections. Sickle cells can damage the spleen, an organ that fights infection, leaving you more vulnerable to infections. Doctors commonly give infants and children with sickle cell anemia vaccinations and antibiotics to prevent potentially life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia.


Bone marrow transplant, also known as stem cell transplant, offers the only potential cure for sickle cell anemia. It's usually reserved for people younger than age 16 because the risks increase for people older than 16. Finding a donor is difficult, and the procedure has serious risks associated with it, including death.

As a result, treatment for sickle cell anemia is usually aimed at avoiding crises, relieving symptoms and preventing complications. Babies and children age 2 and younger with sickle cell anemia should make frequent visits to a doctor. Children older than 2 and adults with sickle cell anemia should see a doctor at least once a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



Medications used to treat sickle cell anemia include:

  • Antibiotics. Children with sickle cell anemia may begin taking the antibiotic penicillin when they're about 2 months old and continue taking it until they're at least 5 years old. Doing so helps prevent infections, such as pneumonia, which can be life-threatening to an infant or child with sickle cell anemia. As an adult, if you've had your spleen removed or had pneumonia, you might need to take penicillin throughout your life.
  • Pain-relieving medications. To relieve pain during a sickle cell crisis, your doctor might prescribe pain medications.
  • Hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea). When taken daily, hydroxyurea reduces the frequency of painful crises and might reduce the need for blood transfusions and hospitalizations. Hydroxyurea seems to work by stimulating production of fetal hemoglobin — a type of hemoglobin found in newborns that helps prevent the formation of sickle cells. Hydroxyurea increases your risk of infections, and there is some concern that long-term use of this drug might cause problems later in life for people who take it for many years. More study is needed. Your doctor can help you determine if this drug might be beneficial for you or your child. Don't take the drug if you're pregnant.
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