Final answer:
The swollen, painful hands and feet are symptoms of dactylitis in sickle cell disease. It's caused by sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking blood flow due to abnormal hemoglobin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sickle Cell Disease Presentation
The symptoms described, swollen and painful hands and feet, are indicative of sickle cell disease (also known as sickle cell anemia), particularly a complication often referred to as dactylitis or hand-foot syndrome. This occurs when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow to the hands and feet, causing swelling, inflammation, and pain. Dactylitis is one of the early signs often seen in children with sickle cell disease. The disease itself is caused by a genetic mutation leading to the production of abnormal hemoglobin, hemoglobin S. This causes red blood cells to deform into a crescent shape, which can then get lodged in capillaries, reducing oxygen delivery to tissues and causing pain as well as potential damage to organs and joints.