Table of Contents
Can thalassemia show up later in life?
When the disorder develops later during life, a diagnosis of beta thalassemia intermedia is given; individuals may only require blood transfusions on rare, specific instances. Beta thalassemia major, also known as Cooley’s anemia, is the most severe form of beta thalassemia.
At what age is thalassemia detected?
Most children with moderate to severe thalassemia receive a diagnosis by the time they are 2 years old. People with no symptoms may not realize that they are carriers until they have a child with thalassemia. Blood tests can detect if a person is a carrier or if they have thalassemia.
Who is most likely to thalassemia?
Who is at risk for thalassemia?
- Alpha thalassemia most often affects people who are of Southeast Asian, Indian, Chinese, or Filipino descent.
- Beta thalassemia most often affects people who are of Mediterranean (Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern), Asian, or African descent.
Who usually has thalassemia?
Thalassemia is passed from parents to children through mutated hemoglobin genes. Certain ancestry. Thalassemia occurs most often in African Americans and in people of Mediterranean and Southeast Asian descent.
Can thalassemia skip a generation?
Thalassemia is an inherited condition. The genes received from one’s parents before birth determine whether a person will have thalassemia. Thalassemia cannot be caught or passed on to another person.
Where is thalassemia most common?
Traits for thalassemia are more common in people from Mediterranean countries, like Greece and Turkey, and in people from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. If you have anemia and you also have family members from these areas, your doctor might test your blood further to find out if you have thalassemia.
How do I know if my child has thalassemia?
What are the symptoms of beta thalassemia in a child?
- Poor growth and development.
- Pale skin.
- Feeding problems.
- Diarrhea.
- Irritability, fussiness.
- Fevers.
- Enlarged abdomen from enlarged spleen.
Can a couple with thalassemia have kids?
50% chance of having a child with thalassemia minor. 50% chance of having a normal child None of the couple’s children will get thalassemia major.
Is thalassemia minor serious?
Thalassemia minor is a less serious form of the disorder. There are two main forms of thalassemia that are more serious. In alpha thalassemia, at least one of the alpha globin genes has a mutation or abnormality. In beta thalassemia, the beta globin genes are affected.
Can I pass thalassemia to my kids?
Thalassemias are inherited conditions — they’re carried in the genes and passed on from parents to children. People who are carriers of a thalassemia gene show no thalassemia symptoms and might not know they’re carriers. If both parents are carriers, they can pass the disease to their kids.
Is it harder to get pregnant with thalassemia?
Women with thalassemia who require blood transfusions often have a higher rate of infertility. However, some women with the disease are able to become pregnant.
Is thalassemia checked at birth?
Newborn screening for alpha thalassemia is done in all states. A blood spot from a prick on a baby’s heel is used to screen for a number of different genetic conditions. Babies with any type of alpha thalassemia can be detected on the newborn screen.