The two common options for treating DBA are corticosteroids and blood transfusions.

Bone marrow/stem cell transplantation may also be considered.  

Some patients may also need Chelation Therapy.

DBA affects both boys and girls, and every ethnic group. 

Diagnosis is normally made when a child is less than 2 years old.

Red cell transfusions can also cause a build-up of extra iron in the body which can harm the heart and/or liver, cause diabetes, or slow down normal growth.

Chelation Therapy is used to remove excess iron in body tissues.

Some patients have a family history of DBA. 

50% have a genetic cause. 

In many cases, they do not know the cause.

Common symptoms are the same as anaemia, including pale skin, sleepiness, rapid heartbeat and a heart murmur.

Bone marrow/stem cell transplantation replaces a patient’s bone marrow/stem cells with those from a healthy, matching donor. 

A patient’s old, faulty bone marrow is destroyed to make way for the stem cells.

This leaves the patient in a weakened state for some time, with long stays in hospital likely.

However, there are many people who have been successfully treated after having suffered the symptoms of DBA.

A stem cell transplant is only considered after every other treatment avenue has been exhausted. 

Siblings have a 1 in 4 chance of being a match.

Most families only have one child with DBA. 

However, in 10% of cases, there is more than one affected family member. 

If you have DBA, there’s a 50% chance your children will have DBA. 

In a blood transfusion, a person receives healthy red blood cells from another person.

Transfusions may be needed every 3-5 weeks.

Depending on the patient’s medical condition and his/her doctor’s advice, but most patients are encouraged and able to get some form of physical exercise every day.

Normal physical activity is generally permitted.