What is that Tree all about ? Thalassemia " Taste of kuwait "

    I was at the Taste of kuwait last night, o awal ma dshait fe marah ya36eha 1000 1000 1000 1000 3afyaa o 3salaah ekathr mn amthalha o inshalah kil ele ga3da itsawe eb mezan a3malaaaha ya rab, its a donation for kids with Thalassemia in kuwait, you donate 1 KD or 500 files, o you get a red ribbon to write your name on it, then u go and hang it on the tree, just to show how many people care. Im sure most of you have never heard about Thalassemia, so i have done some research just to explain it. " 3SALAH ESHAFEHOM YA RAB "

* What are Thalassemias ?

   Thalassemias are genetic disorders that involve the decreased and defective production of hemoglobin, a molecule found inside all red blood cells (RBCs) that transports oxygen throughout the body.

   As frightening as thalassemias can be, the outlook is encouraging. In the past 20 years, new therapies have greatly improved the quality of life and life expectancy in kids who have these diseases.

   The two types of thalassemia are alpha-thalassemia and beta-thalassemia. Their names describe which part of the hemoglobin molecule that is effected, the alpha or the beta chain. Hemoglobin contains two different kinds of protein chains named alpha and beta chains. Any deficiency in these chains causes abnormalities in the formation, size, and shape of RBCs.

   Thalassemia can cause ineffective production of RBCs and their destruction. As a result, people with thalassemia often have a reduced number of RBCs in the bloodstream (anemia), which can affect the transportation of oxygen to body tissues. In addition, thalassemia can cause RBCs to be smaller than normal or drop hemoglobin in the RBCs to below-normal levels.

  Kids who have with different forms of thalassemia have different kinds of health problems. Some only have mild anemia with little or no effects, while others require frequent serious medical treatment.

*Causes:

   Thalassemia is always inherited, passed on from parents to children through their genes. A child usually does not develop symptoms unless both parents carry a thalassemia gene.

   If only one parent passes a gene for thalassemia on to the child, then the child is said to have thalassemia trait. Thalassemia trait will not develop into the full-blown disease, and no medical treatment is necessary.

   Many families have thalassemia carriers, but the trait often goes undiagnosed because it produces no or few symptoms. Frequently, thalassemia is not diagnosed in a family until a baby is born with it. So if someone in your family carries a thalassemia gene, it's wise to have genetic counseling if you're thinking of having children.

   At one time it was believed that the disease affected only people of Italian or Greek descent, but it's now known that many people with thalassemia also come from or are descended from Africa, Malaysia, China, and many parts of Southeast Asia.

   Because of a recent pattern of migration from Southeast Asia, there has been an increase in the past decade of thalassemia in North America. Testing for thalassemia is generally recommended for anyone from Southeast Asia with unexplained anemia.

   If your doctor determines that your child is at risk for thalassemia, prenatal tests can find out if your unborn child is affected.

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