Yunusa H., 9

Yunusa is a 9yo male child who is living with his parents. He has 3 other siblings, he attends a government primary school, he has not been an active student due to his health condition. The father has a small farm, the is a house wife. Family have been struggling financially, they live in an apartment with 2 rooms with a pit toilet, there is a well, no access to electricity. Family income is 10000. Yunusa is a sickle cell disease patient who presented with severe abdominal and chest pain of six days duration. The pain in the abdomen is severe and continuous while that of the chest is described as tightening making him breathless. There is associated abdominal distension but no constipation or vomiting, however there is history of multiple transfusions. When his symptoms started, no medical intervention was given to him as his parents are overwhelmed with recurrent hospital admissions. Two of them in the family have sickle cell disease and have been in and out of hospitals. They heard of Helpster charity that's why they decided to come for help. On examination, patient was acute on chronically ill looking, stunted in growth, pale, icteric with distended abdomen (barrel-shaped), soft but tender on deep palpation, grossly enlarged spleen. Patient was diagnosed with SCD crisis with background hypersplenism.

Sickle cell disease crisis with hypersplenism is a potentially life-threatening condition requiring urgent evaluation and aggressive management. Continuous splenic sequestration may rapidly worsen anemia and reduce circulating blood volume. Early intervention with transfusion therapy, hydration, pain control, and infection treatment improves outcomes. Prognosis is favorable with prompt care, but recurrent episodes may lead to chronic anemia, severe infections, splenic dysfunction, or the need for splenectomy.