blood disorders
Thalassemias
Symptoms of Thalassemias
All thalassemias have similar symptoms, but they vary in severity. In alpha-thalassemia minor and beta-thalassemia minor, people have mild anemia with no symptoms. In alpha-thalassemia major, people have moderate or severe symptoms of anemia, including fatigue, shortness of breath, paleness, and an Enlarged Spleen , which leads to a feeling of fullness and abdominal discomfort. In beta-thalassemia major (sometimes called Cooley anemia), people have severe symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath, and they may also have Jaundice in Adults , causing yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, skin ulcers, and Children who have beta-thalassemia major may grow more slowly and reach puberty later than they normally would. Because iron absorption may be increased and frequent blood transfusions (providing even more iron) are needed, excessive iron may accumulate and be deposited in the heart muscle, eventually causing Overview of Iron Overload disease and heart failure and early death. 