What is the Treatment for Beta Thalassemia Disease?
If the anemia is severe, the child will need regular blood transfusions, beginning as early as six weeks of age. Most transfusions are done once or twice a month. The child will also need medicine to remove the extra iron that builds up in the body as the red blood cells break down. There is more susceptibility to infections. Children with less severe anemia may receive less frequent transfusions, or may need them only occasionally. For some children with beta thalassemia major, bone marrow transplants can be done if there is a well-matched donor. A successful transplant could cure the disease; however, it is still a high-risk procedure. A new procedure called related-donor cord blood transplant may be possible for families with an affected child who are planning to have another child. Some medications that could increase the amount of hemoglobin in the blood are being studied. The baby’s blood specialist can discuss all the options with the family. What is Hemoglobin E? Hemoglobin E i
