As the parent of a child with Sickle Cell Disease, you may know that SCD can lead to pain, anemia, serious infections and damage to major organs. But you may not know that nearly 11 percent of children born with the most severe form of sickle cell disease will have a stroke by age 20.
Strokes are an occurrence one expects to see in older people, but in children with SCD, they occur most commonly between ages 3 and 14. Sickle cell disease is the most common cause of childhood stroke. In those with SCD, ischemic strokes most often occur in children under the age of 15 and adults over the age of 30, while hemorrhagic strokes most often occur in young adults between the ages of 20 and 30.
My Warrior Deej had her first stroke at 7. Thanks to her monthly blood transfusions, she hasn’t had another one. Your child’s susceptibility to stroke will be caught by a TCD (transcranial doppler). If your warrior is at least 2 years old and has never had this done, please be sure to ask their hematologist on his or her next visit.
IN THIS PIC: Tully at her sister’s side. I hope they never depart from being there for each other. This was the first use of Khadeejah’s new port for her blood transfusion. She was a little scared but did great.
To learn more about how sickle cell disease relates to stroke, visit http://powertoendstroke.org/stroke-reduce-risk-sicklecell.html.
For More Information About Strokes And How To Spread Awareness, check out MedicareGuide’s comprehensive stroke awareness guide.
