The following describes our appraoch to diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell disease in children. For specific information regarding your child’s health and treatment options, please contact your Hurley physician or medical professional.

Highly advanced treatment for sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition that affects the red blood cells. When red blood cells become sickle cell-shaped, or crescent-shaped, they can clog the blood vessels and cause painful episodes and strokes. The most common problem is pain in a child’s joints, muscles and joints. A child with sickle cell disease can also have difficulty breathing and coughing.

At the Pediatric Sickle Cell Clinic at Hurley Medical Center, our specialists:

• perform a TCD test (which measures blood flow in the brain) to predict if a child is at risk of developing a stroke
• monitor an individual child’s clinical severity
• give medication depending on the severity, both to prevent and treat pain
• determine which medications a child should take to prevent infection
• teach parents what warning signs to look for in their child
• discuss with parents what long-term treatments are available

For more information, contact the Hurley Medical Center Pediatric Sickle Cell Clinic at (810) 262-4970.