Serious symptoms1 of sickle cell disease are emergencies and need treatment right away. Seek care or call 9-1-1 if someone with SCD is experiencing:
Serious anemia can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and irregular heartbeat.
Fever. If the person has afever of more than 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.5 degrees Celsius, they may have a serious infection. Seek attention from a healthcare provider and treatment with antibiotics right away. Some people need to be hospitalized for care.
Chest pain, coughing, fever, and shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of acute chest syndrome which requires hospitalization.
Warning signs of stroke (brain injury): sudden weakness, numbness on one side of the body, confusion, or trouble speaking, seeing, or walking. Call 9-1-1 for any of these warning signs of a stroke.
Severe pain. A serious pain event is sometimes called a “pain crisis,” “sickle cell crisis,” or “vaso-occlusive crisis.” Many people with sickle cell disease experience this pain, which often requires in-hospital treatment.