Thalassemia

S

sunniefaith

Registered User
Just wondering if there are any parents here have children with thalassemia. I want to know what's the support here for children with thalassemia and are treatments for infusion and transfusion expensive in the public hospitals.

Thanks
 
I read an article today about Thalassemia in HK magazine. You should pick up a copy, it had a bit of info in it! I was amazed at how many Hong Kong chinese people have it - something like one in every 13 Hong Kong Chinese people!!! That's insanely high... I don't know much about it - but I think that there'd be quite a lot of support here, seeing how high the rate is!!
 
nicolejoy said:
I read an article today about Thalassemia in HK magazine. You should pick up a copy, it had a bit of info in it! I was amazed at how many Hong Kong chinese people have it - something like one in every 13 Hong Kong Chinese people!!! That's insanely high... I don't know much about it - but I think that there'd be quite a lot of support here, seeing how high the rate is!!
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Thanks! I'll be heading into Central today and I'll hunt down the HK mag. I've heard that it's quite high but at the same time, it's quite puzzling to know that it's that high! I've heard 1 in 11. I wonder why.
 
I think just genetics - probably Chinese carry that gene more than other races... like Africans can tend to carry the gene for sickle cell anemia...

From Wikipedia:
Generally, thalassemias are prevalent in populations that evolved in humid climates where malaria was endemic, but affects all races. Thalassemias are particularly associated with Arab-Americans, people of Mediterranean origin, and Asians. The estimated prevalence is 16% in people from Cyprus, 3-14% in Thailand, and 3-8% in populations from Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Crazy hey...
 
Yup! Wow, looking at the figures, there must be quite a huge number of people that has thalassemia so it's not an uncommon ailment. So there should be support.

Met a little girl who was abandoned by her mother because she has thalassemia. Kinda sad though.
 
Sunnie Faith, please don't get confused between Thalassemia Major and Minor. One in a dozen HK Chinese people have T Minor - but T Minor is often asymptomatic.

You would definitely have to pay for a T Major sufferer's medical treatment - without treatment, they cannot survive. Read about it on Wikipedia if you haven't already:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalassemia

I know a bit about this because my husband has T Minor and we had my blood screened to make sure I didn't before we tried for a baby.
 
Madeleine said:
Sunnie Faith, please don't get confused between Thalassemia Major and Minor. One in a dozen HK Chinese people have T Minor - but T Minor is often asymptomatic.

You would definitely have to pay for a T Major sufferer's medical treatment - without treatment, they cannot survive. Read about it on Wikipedia if you haven't already:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalassemia

I know a bit about this because my husband has T Minor and we had my blood screened to make sure I didn't before we tried for a baby.
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It's pretty much confirmed. She has major. She needs infusion 5 nights a week for about 10 hrs. And once a month, transfusion. So...it's kinda hard for the little girl as well.
 
Good luck with the interview! I'm sure she would be really lucky to have a loving home like yours.

The treatment sounds rough :( Hopefully they will improve it in the future.

It's good to see on Wikipedia that children with T Major can live long lives.
 
Madeleine said:
Good luck with the interview! I'm sure she would be really lucky to have a loving home like yours.

The treatment sounds rough :( Hopefully they will improve it in the future.

It's good to see on Wikipedia that children with T Major can live long lives.
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Thanks so much. Yes, did some research last night and they can have a normal life. Praying that hubby will too be convinced. Girl's mum abandoned her because she has T Major. So, it's really hard for the little girl.
 
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