Condition
Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease
Key points about sickle cell disease
- Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by defective hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body).
- Sickle cell (HbSS) is a genetic disease. A person will be born with sickle cell disease only if two HbS genes are inherited—one from the mother and one from the father.
- Sickle cell disease primarily affects those of African descent and Hispanics of Caribbean ancestry, but the trait has also been found in those with Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, American Indian and Mediterranean heritage.
- Symptoms may include anemia, pain crisis or sickle crisis, acute chest syndrome, splenic sequestration (pooling), stroke, jaundice and priapism.
- Specific treatment for sickle cell disease and its complications will be determined by your child's doctor based on:
- Your child's age, overall health and medical history
- Extent of the disease
- Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the disease
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Meet the Providers Who Treat Sickle Cell Disease
Departments that Treat Sickle Cell Disease

Blood Disorders (Hematology)
From sickle cell disease to histiocyte disorders, Children's National delivers expert care for any blood disorder diagnosis.