title: Neuropsychologic and academic functioning of children with sickle cell anemia.
abstract: This study compared neuropsychologic test results and academic functioning among 28 school-age children with sickle cell anemia (SCA), and 28 healthy, age-, sex-, and socioeconomically matched black peers followed at a tertiary care center. Children with SCA scored significantly lower on reading and spelling achievement scores than healthy matched peers. Also, older children with SCA performed significantly less well on tests of visual-motor and attention skills than younger children with SCA. These results were unrelated to most measures of physical illness severity. The data suggest that sickle cell anemia may be associated with subtle neuropsychological and learning deficits that can contribute to decreased school performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Whitt
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lallinger
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed