Jeevan

Thalassemia is a group of disorders that affect the body’s ability to produce normal hemoglobin.

Patients with severe thalassemia who need repeated blood transfusions are identified in the hospitals and volunteers donate the blood directly to them

Thalassemia can cause mild or severe anemia and other complications that can occur over time (such as iron overload). Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and a pale skin tone.

Not everyone has visible symptoms of thalassemia. Signs of the disorder also tend to show up later in childhood or adolescence.

Thalassemia occurs when there’s an abnormality or mutation in one of the genes involved in hemoglobin production. You inherit this genetic abnormality from your parents.

If only one of your parents is a carrier for thalassemia, you may develop a form of the disease known as thalassemia minor. If this occurs, you probably won’t have symptoms, but you’ll be a carrier. Some people with thalassemia minor do develop minor symptoms.

If both of your parents are carriers of thalassemia, you have a greater chance of inheriting a more serious form of the disease.

How is thalassemia treated?

Standard treatments for patients with thalassemia major are blood transfusions and iron chelation.

Blood transfusion involves injection of red blood cells through a vein to restore normal levels of healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin. Transfusions are repeated every 4 months in patients with moderate or severe thalassemia, and every 2 to 4 weeks in patients with beta thalassemia major.

Iron chelation is removal of excess iron from the body.

Nutritional supplements, in the form of folic acid supplements, and monitoring of B12 levels are important, as these nutrients are key components to making healthy blood cells.

Bone marrow and stem cell transplant from a compatible related donor is the only treatment that can cure thalassemia. A bone marrow transplant is done in the hospital. Given the high risks of a bone marrow transplant, it is not routinely recommended for those with mild or moderate thalassemia.

How NIR Foundation helps Thalassemia Patient:

Patients with severe thalassemia who need repeated blood transfusions are identified in the hospitals and volunteers donate the blood directly to them.