Thalassemia Alpha

Question: What is the cheapest insurance that would cover finance for alpha thalassemia major of my baby? I'm working on a fictional scenario in which my baby has alpha thalassemia major. I earn $30,000 yearly in the scenario.

Answer: If you don't have coverage on the baby before it's born - like through your group policy - you're not going to FIND anyone willing to cover a preexisting condition. Most newborns, it's pretty darned hard to find private coverage for them, period, before they are a year old, because that first year, the prevenatitve stuff is thousands and thousands of dollars. So, for your fictional scenario, you'll have to either add that baby to mom or dad's group policy through work (for a first child, if the employer is picking up half, figure an extra $100 a month to the employee), or, the baby will be uninsured. Even after the first year, a baby with a preexisting condition is pretty much uninsurable on a private policy. Mom or dad will have to get a job with group benefits, and THEN, after 18 months of coverage, the preexisting condition will be covered on the group plan. Effectively, they have to work for the insurance coverage.

Question: How much iron for Alpha thalassemia trait? My daughter has Alpha thalassemia trait and as a result her iron levels are slightly low. How much iron rich food is recommended. Also is there a possibility for the trait to change into "major" in her future.

Answer: I found a few websites about this stuff if you haven't seen these. I would really talk to your doctor. http://www.cooleysanemia.org/sections.ph… http://www.answers.com/topic/thalassemia… http://www.upmc.com/HealthManagement/Man…

Question: can i donate blood if i have alpha thalassemia trait? can i donate blood if i have alpha thalassemia trait?

Answer: You would have to check with the donation center, But, I doubt you would be accepted with a known hereditary disease. Besides passing on defective red cells, you could be compromising your own health.

Question: What exactly is Alpha-Thalassemia? I'm very nervous!? I am 8 weeks pregnant with my first child and my doctors office just called me and told me that my blood work shows that I have Alpha-Thalassemia and they want me to get more blood work on my next visit. They also want my husband to come in to see if he is a carrier. What exactly is this? I'm very nervous!

Answer: Here is some info on it:

Question: is alpha thalassemia an immunocompromising disorder? I just need to know and can not find anything. Thank you im just curious because I know my son has alpha thalassemia and I Was wondering if this disorder is the cause to some of whats going on with him. Sleeps more than normal, doesnt eat well, allergies, sick often. My pediatrician told me not to worry, but I just wanted to see if they were linked. Thanks for the help!!

Answer: Alpha Thalassemia is an inherited disorder, not an immunosuppressed disease/disorder. It affects the production of normal hemoglobin (a type of protein that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body). Basically, is it a type of anemia ( some people refer to this as low blood). A basic explanation. There are a number of different forms of anemia. ** It is caused by mutations in the " alpha " chain of the hemoglobin molecule. ** Normally, there are two " alpha chain genes " located on each # 16 chromosome, for a total of 4. ** The " alpha " chain is an important component of fetal hemoglobin ( which is usually made BEFORE birth) and, hemoglobin " A " & hemoglobin " A2" ( which are present AFTER birth). ** How these " genes" are changed or altered, determines the type of " alpha thalassemia" in a child. It is most commonly found in Africa, the MiddleEast, India, Southeast Asia, southern China and, the Mediterranean region. I hope that this is helpful and here's a great web: http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/He…

Question: alpha thalassemia disorder?? i just discovered not too long ago that i have a disorder called alpha thalassemia. i dont feel retarded or anything.. so what does it affect ? what exactly is it ?

Answer: Thalassemia may or may not affect you right away. It is not related to the brain, so your mind is fine. It has to do with the making of blood cells, and may affect your spleen. Type it into your search engine - you'll get direct information - or try Wikipedia (same difference - I get Wikipedia whenever I use my search engine).

Question: Alpha Thalassemia? I was diagnosed with alpha thalassemia a couple of years ago and I know this affects my health. I was wondering if anyone knew if there was anything i could take(herbal-wise or modern medicine) or do in any way to make me feel better day to day. It is not so severe that i need blood tranfusions. LOL, no I am not depressed, just wanted more info on my condition.

Answer: The only possible site of any use I could find was the one below. You can mail them and ask for specific advice...I hope you find what you want.

Question: my 4 yr old boy has sickel cell trait + alpha thalassemia. Is there any treatment? He looks so pale with dark circles under his eyes. He is very thin, and always tired. He sometimes has pain in his bones that wakes him up at night or doesn't allow him to wake during the day. his condition is getting worse. please help

Answer: After doing quite a bit of research, I was able to find out that there is no cure for your son's problem. It is treatable with blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, and bone marrow transplants. Success rates are dependent upon the severity of the disease. The good news is many people are living well into their 40's and 50's with this disease. It is important to protect your son by getting him a flu shot every year and the pneumonia shot. If you go to this link, you can find valuable information about the types of treatment available. I am so sorry that he is suffering. Don't give up. Keep researching every web site you can find on the topic. There is help available, but it is going to fall on you to find it. Good luck.

Question: My daughter has Thalassemia Alpha, Docs said she has 2 less alpha cells + Hemoglobin E + Diabetes 1.? What is the normal Hb % for her condition. She used to have 8.5%. But now it has been only 6.5% for las 9 months. Why? What is the safe level ?

Answer: you did not include the age of your daughter...the hemoglobin varies with age, but normal hemoglobin should range approx. around 12. I suggest you read fthe following article :http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/thalover.h… The following are some inserts from an article from the Harvardarticle: Thalassemia Alpha can cause a chronic anemia (lowering of your hemoglobin) Alpha thalassemia occurs when one or more of the four alpha chain genes fails to function. Alpha chain protein production, for practical purposes, is evenly divided among the four genes. With alpha thalassemia, the "failed" genes are almost invariably lost from the cell due to a genetic accident. (i) The loss of one gene diminishes the production of the alpha protein only slightly. This condition is so close to normal that it can be detected only by specialized laboratory techniques that, until recently, were confined to research laboratories. A person with this condition is called a "silent carrier" because of the difficulty in detection. (ii) The loss of two genes (two-gene deletion alpha thalassemia) produces a condition with small red blood cells, and at most a mild anemia. People with this condition look and feel normal. The condition can be detected by routine blood testing, however. (iii) The loss of three alpha genes produces a serious hematological problem (three-gene deletion alpha thalassemia). Patients with this condition have a severe anemia, and often require blood transfusions to survive. The severe imbalance between the alpha chain production (now powered by one gene, instead of four) and beta chain production (which is normal) causes an accumulation of beta chains inside the red blood cells. Normally, beta chains pair only with alpha chains. With three-gene deletion alpha thalassemia, however, beta chains begin to associate in groups of four, producing an abnormal hemoglobin, called "hemoglobin H". The condition is called "hemoglobin H disease". Hemoglobin H has two problems. First it does not carry oxygen properly, making it functionally useless to the cell. Second, hemoglobin H protein damages the membrane that surrounds the red cell, accelerating cell destruction. The combination of the very low production of alpha chains and destruction of red cells in hemoglobin H disease produces a severe, life-threatening anemia. Untreated, most patients die in childhood or early adolescence. (iv) The loss of all four alpha genes produces a condition that is incompatible with life. The gamma chains produced during fetal life (see Hemoglobin Overview) associate in groups of four to form an abnormal hemoglobin called "hemoglobin Barts". Most people with four-gene deletion alpha thalassemia die in utero or shortly after birth. Rarely, four gene deletion alpha thalassemia has been detected in utero, usually in a family where the disorder occured in an earlier child. In utero blood transfusions have saved some of these children. These patients require life-long transfusions and other medical support. With regard to the tolerance of the anemia, most patients with thalassemia have substantial symptoms with a Hb of much below 7 or 8 gm/dl. With hemoglobins of this level, excess energy consumption due to the profound hemolysis can produce small stature, poor weight gain, poor energy levels, and susceptibility to infection. Further, the extreme activity of the bone marrow produces bone deformities of the face and other areas, along with enlargement of the spleen. The long bones of the arms and legs are weak and fracture easily. Patients with this clinical condition usually do better with regular transfusions. The need for regular transfusions would then place them under the heading of thalassemia major (see below). On the other hand, some patients with marked thalassemia can maintain a hemoglobin of about 9 to 10 gm/dl. The exercise tolerance of these patients is significantly better.

Question: i just found out i have alpha thalassemia,what does it mean and what are the implications?

Answer: Try this web site for full information http://www.ukts.org/pages/alpha_gen.htm