Children with Sickle Cell Disease

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Interventions for Children with Sickle Cell Disease Children with Sickle Cell Disease According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sickle cell disease (SCD) affects millions of people worldwide and predominantly affects descendants from sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Saudi Arabia, India; and the Mediterranean. Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder of the red blood cells where the red blood cells comprises of predominantly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin (2011). Two most common types of sickle cell disease seen in the clinical setting are Sickle Cell Anemia (SS) and Sickle-Hemoglobin C Disease (SC) (Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, 2014, para.1). Sickle cell disease affects various body systems; but the introduction of mandatory child screening at birth, a comprehensive treatment plan, improvements in technology, up-to-date immunizations and increase research for better pain management and prophylactics to treat infections, the mortality rate and life expectancy of these children have improved immensely (Kavanagh et al., 2011, p.e1554). Children with sickle cell are at high risk for both bacterial and viral infection which can lead to death if not treated in a timely fashion. Dealing with sickle cell disease is a lifelong challenge for both children and parents; and both internal and external support for the family could help them better cope with the complications of sickle cell disease. Two of the intervention I would like to focus on to assist children with sickle cell disease at Jacobi Medical Center is related to infection control and peer-to-peer support. A CDC (2008) report on Sickle Cell Disease in New York shows that from 2004 to 2008 ... ... middle of paper ... ...educational programme on hospital-acquired infections in medical wards. Clinical Microbiology And Infection: The Official Publication Of The European Society Of Clinical Microbiology And Infectious Diseases, 18(12), 1215-1217. doi:10.1111/j.1469-0691.2011.03735.x Parent to Parent of New York State. (2011). Support. Retrieved from http://www.parentto parentnys.org/support/ Queens Sickle Cell Advocacy Network, Inc. (QSCAN). (2014). Programs & Services. Retrieved from http://www.qscan.org/programs-services/ Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (2014). Research and screening: About sickle cell disease (SCD) (para.1). Retrieved from http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/index.cfm? U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2013). Peer support proves effective in coping with chronic Disease. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20110505a.asp

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