sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking blood flow to the hands and feet.
Constant infections. Sickle cells can damage your spleen, 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.
Stunted growth and puberty. Red blood cells provide your body with the oxygen and nutrients needed for growth. A shortage of healthy red blood cells can slow growth in infants and children and delay puberty in teenagers.
Problems with vision. Tiny blood vessels that supply your eyes can become plugged with sickle cells. This can damage the retina — the portion of the eye that processes visual images — and lead to vision problems.
Per the Mayo Clinic, sickle cell anemia is usually diagnosed in infancy through newborn screening programs. Here are some of the symptoms you should look out for:
- Fever. People with sickle cell anemia have an increased risk of serious infection, and fever can be the first sign of an infection.
- Unexplained episodes of severe pain, such as pain in the abdomen, chest, bones, or joints.
- Swelling in the hands or feet.
- Abdominal swelling, especially if the area is tender to the touch.
- Pale skin or nail beds.
- Yellow tint to the skin or whites of the eyes.
- Signs or symptoms of stroke. If you notice one-sided paralysis or weakness in the face, arms, or legs; confusion; trouble walking or talking; sudden vision changes or unexplained numbness; or a severe headache, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.
Prodigy was open about his constant battle with the disease and stressed the importance of mental health due to the stress-inducing effects that sickle cell has on its patients. Before his death, he was a staunch advocate for people with sickle cell anemia, offering advice on eating a proper diet and staying hydrated.
In a video campaign with Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Prodigy told a 13-year-old boy that his eating habits were extremely important and the “disease didn’t have to be a death sentence.”
For more information on sickle cell anemia visit the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation.
BDO’s Black History of Health series is designed to show the correlation between the health of historical black figures and Black Americans today. Many of the health disparities we currently experience have been in our community for centuries. This series is meant to bring these conditions to the forefront and provide blacks with preventative and management steps to reduce these disparities and improve the overall health of the Black American community. It’s time to change the narrative.