Pain characteristics and age-related pain trajectories in infants and young children with sickle cell disease.

Background: The epidemiology of painful episodes in infants and younger children with SCD has not been well studied, particularly for pain managed at home.

Procedure: SCD infants identified by newborn screening were enrolled in a longitudinal observational study of pain symptoms requiring parents to report the presence or absence of pain daily. When sickle cell related-pain events occurred, pain occurrence, location, associated symptoms and the treatment provided also were reported.

Severity of obstructive sleep apnea in children with sickle cell disease.

Objective: To characterize polysomnographic (PSG) findings of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) suspected of having sleep disordered breathing (SDB).

Methods: Families of 100 consecutively referred children with SCD completed the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire during a routine visit to identify concerns regarding sleep habits and sleep behavior. Of these, 48 children were identified as displaying behaviors suspicious of SDB.