Ismail A., 17

Ismail Is a 17 year old male child who is currently staying with his mother and siblings. He does not attend school due to financial constraints. The mother is a widow, the child goes to the market to get the little income he can get to support his mother and siblings. They live in an apartment with a pit toilet. They have no access to electricity, water is from borehole. Monthly income is approximately 2,000. Ismail a 17yo male who was relatively well until yesterday, when he started having sudden severe abdominal back pain which progressively worsened and necessitated presentation in our facility. He is a known sickle cell disease patient. On examination, he looked quite ill and very warm to touch, mildly icteric but no cyanosed and mildly pale. He has tachycardia, abdominal distention observed with tender spleen but no ascites, bowel sounds preserved. Tenderness elicited along the lumbosacral spine. Patient was diagnosed with Painful Crisis in SCD.

Ismail is experiencing a painful vaso-occlusive crisis secondary to sickle cell disease. Painful crisis in sickle cell disease is an acute vaso-occlusive episode caused by sickled red blood cells obstructing blood flow, resulting in tissue ischemia. The prognosis is generally good with early intervention and appropriate supportive care. However, recurrent painful crises may lead to chronic organ damage, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life over time.