How is sickle cell anaemia treated?
There is no cure for sickle cell anaemia, but there are interventions to help deal with its symptoms and complications. It must be stressed that sickle cell anaemia is a serious and complicated disease and best treated under the supervision or directly by a specialised haematology unit. Treatment of crises is based on pain medications and oral and intravenous fluids. Blood transfusions are used to treat and prevent certain complications. However, repeated transfusions can cause severe iron overload that has its own complications. Transfusion therapy is therefore only given with caution. Giving oral penicillin to young children with sickle cell anaemia can prevent pneumonia. Most complications are treated as they arise. For example, eye surgery may be used to prevent further vision loss from eye complications. Leg ulcers may be treated with cleansing solutions, or with skin grafts in persistent cases. Severe, ongoing pain may require hospitalisation and treatment with painkillers, such
