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Essay / Understanding the Impact of Sickle Cell Disease
Therefore, treatment for sickle cell disease aims to relieve symptoms and prevent complications (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). Management of the disease begins with informing parents who are at high risk of conceiving children with the disease about prenatal screening (Schnog et. al., 2004). This allows for comprehensive newborn care and preparation (Schnog et. al., 2004). One of the preventive measures is to take antibiotics like penicillin before the age of 5 to reduce the risk of infections. Others include getting all required vaccinations as well as other regular flu and meningococcal vaccines (“How is sickle cell anemia treated?” n.d.). Additional measures include screening tests and evaluations such as blood and urine tests, eye exams, pulmonary hypertension, cognitive screening, and transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) screening (which tests if a child is at risk of stroke) ("How is sickle cell disease treated?", n.d.). As the disease is associated with painful attacks, medications to manage pain are also prescribed to people with symptoms (“How Is Sickle Cell Disease Treated?”,