What is a good activity for child with sickle cell disease?

Normal: Children with sickle cell anemia should have full activitiy although there may be some precautions at higher altitudes.

Exercise and general: Activity is overall a good thing for these kids. But, precautions need to be taken - drink lots of fluids, especially with activities. Some organized sports like football are just too much to handle and put the children at risk. One thing to watch out for is changes in temperature exposure - going from a hot day into a cold pool may trigger a pain crisis. But so can a vigorous video game...

Depends on the child: Children with scd should be as active as possible to promote good overall health including cardiovascular fitness and weight. Some children will need to restrict their activities if they have ongoing issues such as lung or heart disease or if certain activities serve as triggers for crises. One of the most important things is to maintain excellent hydration. Talk with your hematologist.

Fun activites: Kids with sickle cell deserve to have fun, just like their peers. But you need to concentrate on activities that do not pound on the joints or involve hard, full body contact. The best activity by far is swimming. It moves the joints, improves range of motion, improves lung and heart capacity, and is fun. But whatever your child chooses, ensure good stretching prior to activity. Dive in!

Many different: Activities may be appropriate for a child with sickle cell disease. It is important to avoid extreme temperature changes, excessive cold, and dehydration. Playing outside with friends, riding bikes, playing various sports that aren't at the super competitive level can be fun and safe. If one part of the body is prone to getting a pain crisis, then avoid activities that cause stress to that area.