Psychiatric Problems in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease, Based on Parent and Teacher Reports

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of psychiatric problems in children and adolescents withsickle cell disease (SCD). MATERIAL AND METHODS The Child Behavior Checklist for ages 4-18 years (CBCL/4-18), Conners' Parent RatingScale (CPRS), Conners' Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS-R), and The Turgay DSM-IV Based Child and Adolescent BehaviorDisorders Screening and Rating Scale, clinician and parent forms (T-DSM-IV-S) were given to the caregivers and teachersof 31 children with SCD aged between 7-18 years and the caregivers and teachers of 34 age matched controls with irondeficiencyanemia. RESULTS The SCD patients had higher scores on all 4 of scales. Among the subscales, internalizing problems, andattention problems were more prominent in the SCD patients. CONCLUSION Children and adolescents with SCD appear to have an increased risk for psychiatric problems. Regularpsychological evaluation and referral to child and adolescent psychiatry clinics may facilitate timely diagnosis andeffective treatment of at-risk children and adolescents.