Background: Sickle cell disease is the commonest genetic disorder of haemoglobin due to inheritance of mutant haemo- globin genes from both parents. The disorder is characterized by chronic haemolysis which results in increased availability of iron from red blood cell destructions. Objective: To determine the prevalence of iron overload among non-chronically blood transfused preschool children with sickle cell anaemia. Methods: Serum ferritin was assayed and transferrin saturation derived in 97 steady state sickle cell anaemia children. Ele- vated iron stores were defined as serum ferritin level >300ng/ml, and transferrin saturation >45%. . Results: Serum ferritin level was greater than 300 mg/ml in 14 (14.4%) subjects and transferrin saturation >45% in six (6.2%) subjects with sickle cell anaemia. The prevalence of iron overload was 20.6%. The prevalence of iron overload was higher among subjects in older age group, female, with history of blood transfusion, and with single blood transfusion ses- sion. Conclusion: Iron overload is prevalent in older children; the number of blood transfusion sessions notwithstanding. Regu- lar assessment of serum ferritin is recommended. Keywords: Sickle cell anemia; iron overload; serum ferritin; transferrin saturation; elevated iron.

Background: The plain abdominal x-ray is one of the commonly requested investigations in the children emergency room, paediatric surgical ward and neonatal wards. The short interval required to carry out this investigative procedure and obtain results makes it the first imaging modality used to unravel the different causes of acute abdominal conditions in children. The safety of abdominal x-ray in children makes it attractive for use in paediatric surgical practice as part of routine work-up for undifferentiated acute abdominal conditions and also to diagnose specific causes of acute abdomen in children. Setting: