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Psychosocial Challenges in Affected Pediatric Patients

SCD is a chronic and possibly life-threatening disorder that affects children and adolescents' thoughts and subsequently their behavior as interrelated with society. A most common symptom of SCD is reoccurring pain, acute or chronic. Acute pain is caused by sickled erythrocytes causing obstruction of blood flow which leads to tissue injury. If pain lasts for more than 3 months, it is considered chronic pain. According to PiSCES (The Pain in Sickle Cell Epidemiology Study), there were 1,515 days surveyed in which children reported having pain at home 9% of those days. This pain can interfere with attendance at school, social activities, sport teams, or any peer relations. It can result in frequent hospitalizations which also increases school absence. This can affect academic achievement and long-term educational outcomes.

Another challenge for a child with SCD includes the status of ethnicity with associated prejudice and discrimination associated. These stressors are also related to decreased health care access and socioeconomic status, which all impact health status, possibly exacerbating the condition, and, ultimately, pediatric adaptation to SCD.

Compared to their demographically matched peers, SCD children and adolescents are at high risk for developing low self-esteem, internalizing and externalizing disorders, psychological distress, and decreased school achievement,  However, strength can be developed in the difficult circumstances in the lives of these children and families. This is proven by a 2003 Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease enrollment which showed the resound resilience of SCD children. The majority of them function adaptively to their stressors.