Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease Children

Strokes are an occurrence one expects to see in older people. But in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), they occur most commonly at age 5, with the majority of strokes in this population occurring between ages 3 and 14.

If your child has SCD and has recently had a stroke, you may be dealing with the aftermath, which may include learning disabilities, loss of speech or memory, paralysis, or other impairments--as well as the ever-present risk of another stroke.

Strokes in children can be complicated to learn about, because they are often caused by other medical problems. It may be frustrating to try to understand everything that is happening all at once. Medical terms and concepts may be confusing.

This section aims to provide information and links to additional sources that may help you understand what has happened to your child. We hope this increased knowledge may help you communicate more effectively with your child’s doctor.

About this Site
Content for this site was written by Thea Griffith, a research assistant with the Internet Stroke Center. Research contributions and advice was provided by Desiree White, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Washington University in St. Louis Neuropsychology Laboratory.

Last Updated: October 30, 2006