How is it assessed?

Diagnosis is usually made in the first year of life by blood tests. Most children are now picked up by the neonatal screening programme.

Screening for sickle cell disease

In communities in the UK where there is a high incidence of sickle cell disorders screening tests are available to identify the condition. Screening is offered to people where there is a family history of sickle cell, to women of reproductive age, to couples planning a pregnancy, to people having general anaesthetics and at antenatal clinics. Education and genetic counselling are offered to people and families at risk.

Screening of newborn babies is undertaken to enable early diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia in affected infants.