1) Bone Marrow Transplant
Pros - the only treatment with a higher potential for cure.
Cons - risky procedure, hard to find a donor, can be potentially lethal.
2) Antibiotics
Pros - Helpful in children from 2 months to 5 years old to prevent infection like pneumonia.
Cons - can promote antibiotic resistance, has side effects
3) Hydroxyurea
Pros - reduces frequency of painful attacks and reduces the need for blood tranfusion.
Cons - increase infection, may cause leukemia and other tumors
4) Blood Transfusion
Pros - increase normal red blood cells, decrease stroke risk
Cons- excess iron in the blood