Sickle cell disease is a group of conditions that affect hemoglobin, which allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Red blood cells that contain sickle hemoglobin are inflexible and can stick to blood vessel walls, causing a blockage that slows or stops blood flow.
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Staying healthy with sickle cell disease involves:
Pain management
Self-care β including eating well, exercising and drinking water.
Preventing infections from common illnesses such as the flu
Medications to reduce the severity of sickle cell disease
Regular preventive care including vaccinations and health and dental checkups
Quality medical care from doctors and nurses who are educated about SCD
Building a support system of friends and family
Connecting with a patient support group or a community-based SCD organization for information and assistance
Want to help children learn more about Sickle Cell?
Children learn a lot about the world they live in through stories. Think back to your own favorite childhood bedtime reads and the lessons they taught: "Goodnight Moon" gave kids a fun way to learn a bedtime routine and how to identify different objects and colors found around their own rooms and various fairy tales taught of love, as well as how to spot and avoid dangers that may be found outside the house, among other things. Now, kids can also learn about sickle cell disease in a way that they can understand and enjoy with a book series called, "My Friend Jen."
Penned "with the objective of creating better understanding and awareness of the blood disorder sickle cell anaemia," this series is the perfect addition to any children's library -- whether they, themselves, are sickle cell warriors; whether they have a friend or family member who is; or, whether you would just like to get their awareness started early.
Written by Jenica Leah, a UK-based author and sickle cell warrior, the first book in the series -- "A Little Different" is available on Amazon.com. The story is told from the point of view of one of Jen's friends and gives readers simple tips on how people living with SCD can keep themselves healthy.
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