By the term Thalassemia, we refer to a blood disorder affecting lots of individuals at present across the globe. Being an inherited ailment, it can be passed to the children from the parents. It happens to be a condition where the individual does not have the required amount of hemoglobin within his system.
Symptoms of Thalassemia
Weakness or fatigue
One can suffer from fatigue or weakness since it is not possible for the hemoglobin to carry an adequate amount of oxygen to different parts of the system. This will minimize the amount of vitality produced by our system since not enough oxygen is supplied to the muscles.
Weak bones
One more typical symptom of this particular condition happens to be weak bones. When the amount of iron within our system becomes more, it can minimize or interfere with the absorption of vitamin D and calcium. This can result in the formation of brittle and weak bones in the long run.
Yellowish or pale skin
Some individuals suffering from this condition mentioned here might have yellowish or extremely pale skin since the number of red blood cells is reduced within their system.
Deformity in the skull or face
On some occasions, this disease can result in an expansion of the bones that can lead to the widening of the bones in the face.
Failure of development
The development of the kid can be slowed down because of anemia. Children suffering from this condition mentioned here might have delayed puberty in the long run.
Overload of iron
There can be an overload of iron within their systems in case of individuals suffering from this condition. This can happen because of the condition itself or because of frequent transfusion of blood. An overload of iron can damage our heart, endocrine system, and liver significantly.
Enlarged spleen
It is a fact that our spleen helps us to fight infection as well as filter undesirable materials like damaged or old blood cells. This condition is usually accompanied by the destruction of red blood cells and the spleen becomes enlarged as a result. Anemia can become even worse because of Splenomegaly and the life span of the transfused blood cells can be reduced as well. It might be imperative to remove the spleen in case it becomes enlarged severely.
Infection
Individuals struggling with this condition mentioned in this article might have an enhanced threat of infection. This will be particularly true in case the spleen is removed.
Risk factors
In case this condition is passed to the children from the parents, there might be certain factors that can enhance the risk of having this ailment.
Family history – You will be at a greater risk of developing thalassemia in case any of your parents or relatives are suffering from this ailment.
Belonging from a particular ancestry – It is a fact that Southeast Asians as well as African-Americans are at a greater risk of suffering from this condition.
The causes
As already mentioned, this condition happens to be an inherited gene mutation that will be passed on from the parents or at least one of them. The sort of ailment you have will depend on which particular mutated genes are inherited by you from the parents as well as the number of genes you inherit.
Every individual has several types of blood cells within their system, namely, white blood cells, red blood cells, as well as platelets. The RBCs contain hemoglobin which happens to be an iron-rich protein responsible for supplying oxygen to different parts of the body from the lungs.
It is possible for this condition mentioned in this article to happen once there is a mutation in the gene regulating the formation of RBCs. There are two types of protein chains in hemoglobin, namely, alpha-globin as well as beta-globin. In case the gene mutations cause the beta protein chain or the alpha protein chain to become abnormal, it might prevent the generation of RBCs within the system. There will not be adequate cells for carrying oxygen to different parts of the body, and our system might not function properly in the long run.
Alpha-thalassemia can be caused by the minimization in the number of alpha chains while beta-thalassemia can happen due to the minimization in the number of beta chains. In general, children will inherit these mutations directly from their parents.
How is it possible to prevent this condition?
Since this condition is inherited from the parents or relatives, it can be somewhat difficult to prevent it. Nevertheless, there are certain ways to cope with this condition and minimize its inferences on your health.
One particular process of preventing this condition to pass to the offspring from the parents will be through genetic screening. In case the parents happen to be a carrier of the gene causing this condition, genetic screening can help in figuring out whether the offspring has been affected by this condition or not. It is possible to perform prenatal tests during the early stages of pregnancy or even later for verifying whether the infant is safe or whether he has got minor or major thalassemia.
Here, we like to mention that thalassemia minor can happen in case the faulty gene is received from just one parent. On most occasions, these do not come with any symptoms whatsoever. On the other hand, Beta thalassemia major is likewise referred to as Cooley anemia.
We like to conclude this article by asserting that if you are suffering from this condition and like to get treatment, make sure to consult the best doctor in your locality who can help you significantly in this matter.
