A 3-year-old African-American child is diagnosed with sickle cell anemia.The parents know that sickle cell anemia is hereditary but do not understand why their child has the disease because neither of them has it.What is the most accurate information to provide?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which means that both parents have to be carriers of the sickle cell trait in order for their child to have the disease. Even though neither parent has the disease, they can still carry the sickle cell trait and pass it on to their child.

A 3-Year-Old African-American Child Is Diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia