Preventing severe childhood infection
Give your child with sickle cell disease regular doses of antibiotic (Penicillin) until age 5.
Get your child immunized on schedule. For more information, see the topic immunization.
Avoid contact with anyone suspected of having an infection, particularly which caused by parvovirus which causes a serious condition called aplastic anemia.
Prevent adult infection
Check your immunization schedule and keep your immunizations up to date.
Prevent vision problems
Get routine eye exams as a child and as an adult. Early detection can help prevent vision problems.
Prevent dehydration
Drink water and other fluids. Drink enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water. Drink extra fluids before, during, and after exertion and when in the heat. Drink plenty of fluids if you have a fever or infection. Children should keep a water bottle with them during school, play, and outings.
Limit alcohol. Alcohol use can lead to dehydration.
Exercise with care
If you exercise strenuously, rest when you feel tired and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration and reduced oxygen levels in a person's blood resulting from strenuous exercise may cause red blood cells to sickle.
Prevent problems at high altitude or during air travel
High altitudes. The air at high altitudes, such as in an airplane or mountains at altitudes has less oxygen than that at sea level. The lack of oxygen can cause cells to sickle. If you spend time at high altitudes, drink plenty of water and fluids to prevent dehydration.
Air travel. Large passenger airplanes are pressurized. But a person with sickle cell disease may have a sickling problem even when flying in a pressurized airplane. Most people won't have problems if they are flying only for a short time (less than 4 to 6 hours) and drink plenty of fluids during the flight
Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke
Smoking and secondhand smoke reduce the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream.
stay warm in cold weather
Exposure to cold air, wind, and water may cause a painful event by triggering red blood cell sickling in exposed areas of the body.
Dress warmly in cold weather. Dress in layers to avoid sudden temperature change. When possible, avoid situations where you might become cold.
Educate yourself
Learn to recognize serious symptoms. Partner with your doctor, using your experience with the disease and your doctor's expertise. Make a plan for how to treat pain at home and when to seek medical care for severe pain and symptoms. Know when to call your doctor or when you need emergency help.
Proper diet and folic acid supplement
A balanced diet helps keep body's immune system strong. Your doctor is a good source about proper diet.
Folic acid supplementation daily help bone marrow's production of red blood cells.
Prevention of sickle cell disease
Premarital testing which detects the affected person with hemoglobinopathy had prevent the disease and reduce the incidence of the disease in the kingdom.
