Dactylitis is a severely painful condition affecting the bones of the
hands, the feet, or both. Dactylitis is often the first symptom of
sickle cell disease in babies and is caused by blocked
blood circulation.
About half of infants born with sickle cell disease have at least one
episode of dactylitis by the age of 2 years. Dactylitis generally occurs during
the first 4 years of life.1
Symptoms of dactylitis include extreme pain and tenderness, usually
with swelling. An episode may last for 1 or 2 weeks.
Days after an occurrence of dactylitis, imaging tests such as an
ultrasound may show signs of damage to the
bones.