Sickle Cell.....I have a mixed daughter (I'm white, dad is black...)?!
Question:
Sickle Cell.....I have a mixed daughter (I'm white, dad is black...)?
Last week my daughter had to have some blood tests done because she had surgery this week. I found out today that her Red Blood Cell count is a little low, which means anemia. The doctor wants her to take a multivitamin. So, as I was doing a little research I found something on sickle cell anemia. Does a low red blood count indicate sickle cell? Should I have her tested for it?
Answers:
There are many reasons for low RBC count, it could be a symptom for Sickle Cell, but your doctor should have known to test for the disease in a black child. You should definitely test for it. It is unlikely that she has the disese, because both parents have to be carriers, and as a white woman, you are not likely to be a carrier. But it is important to know if she is a carrier, because it will be important when she is of child-bearing age.