Resources for Students with Sickle Cell Disease

Students with Sickle Cell Disease are at risk for poor school performance due to episodes of pain and strokes associated with the disease. This can lead to the need for repeated hospitalizations and school absences. The January 2003 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reports that only 15% of the students with sickle cell disease in their study were on track to complete high school. These students missed school due to the disease: those with strokes missed an average of 15.5 days and those with pain missed an average of 38.4 days. The authors reason that all of the students should have been referred for special education due to documented cognitive impairments and/or absentee rates. However, only 70% of the stroke group and 13% of the pain group had been evaluated. In addition, none of the students in the study received vocational training. The authors point to the need for early identification and educational assistance for students with sickle cell disease.

Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Child Health Institute, University of Washington, Box 354920, Seattle, WA 98190-4920, 206.685.3573 (voice), 206.685.3572 (fax), http://archpedi.ama-assn.org (web), fpr@u.washington.edu (e-mail).