There is a sickle cell disease (SCD) myth which says that persons with SCD do not live past the age of 21. However, the most recent study (CDC/NCHS, 2013) implies that half of males born with SCD will survive to 78 years and half of females will survive to age 83 years.
The New England Journal of Medicine states that the peak incidence of death among children with sickle cell anemia occur between 1 and 3 years of age, but this can to a large extent be prevented if newborns are screened and the prophylactic penicillin is administered early to infants with SCD.
The prominent risk factors for death with persons with SCD are acute chest syndrome, renal failure, seizures, a base-line white-cell count above 15,000 cells per cubic millimeter, and a low level of fetal hemoglobin, but with more awareness and early detection, serious complications may be prevented as SCD patients can obtain information on how to manage the disease.
