Emergency Guide: When to See the Doctor
It is very important that every person or family with a young child with sickle cell disease have a plan for how to get help immediately, at any hour, if there’s a problem. Be sure to find a place that will have access to your medical records or bring a copy.
Go to an emergency room or urgent care facility right away for:
Emergency Guide Tip Sheet
- Fever above 101° F
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Abdominal (belly) swelling
- Severe headache
- Sudden weakness or loss of feeling and movement
- Seizure
- Painful erection of the penis that lasts more than 4 hours
Call a doctor right away for:
- Pain anywhere in the body that will not go away with treatment at home
- Any sudden problem with vision
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Division of Blood Disorders
1600 Clifton Road
MS E-87
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov