How is sickle cell disease diagnosed?
Sickle cell disease is diagnosed with a simple blood test. It is most often found at birth during routine newborn screening tests at the hospital. Sickle cell disease can also be diagnosed before birth via amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. These tests analyze the DNA of the fetal cells. Children with sickle cell disease are at an increased risk of infection and other health problems, therefore making early diagnosis and treatment extremely important. If an individual is not diagnosed at birth, they can be tested by their primary care physician. A simple blood test called hemoglobin electrophoresis will determine if an individual has sickle cell disease.
