BETA THALASSEMIA!!

Beta thalassemia is a blood disorder that reduces the production of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells throughout of the body. In people with beta thalassemia, low levels of hemoglobin lead to the lack of oxygen in many parts of the body. Affected individuals also have a shortage of red blood cells, which can cause pale skin, weakness, fatigue, and more seriosoud, complications. People with beta thalassemia are at an increased risk of developing abnormal blood clots. Beta thalassamia is classified into tw o types depending on the severity of symptoms: thalassemia minor and thalassemia major. Of these two types, beta thalassemia major is much more severe. The signs and symptoms of thalassemia major appear within the first 2 years of life. Children develop life-threating aneamia. They dont gain weight and grow at the expected rate, and may devlop yellowing of the skin and whiting of the eyes. For children with thalassemia minor, the symptoms may appear in early childhood or alittle later in life. Affected people have mild to moderate anemia and may also have slo growth and bone abnormalities. Beta thalassemia is a fairly common blood disorder worldwide. Thousands of infants with beta thalassemia are born each year. Beta thalassemia occurs most frequently in people from Mediterranean countries.