The Pediatric Clinician's Approach to Acute or Chronic Neurologic Symptoms in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Neurologic symptoms are common in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and may cause significant morbidity and mortality. Organized by neurologic chief complaint, this article reviews current knowledge on pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic strategies, and first-line treatments for neurologic complications in children with SCD, including headache, first-time seizure, cognitive concerns, gait abnormality, stroke, and transient ischemic attack. Children with SCD with poor school performance should be assessed for silent cerebral infarct. Our goal is to provide primary care pediatric clinicians with the knowledge and tools necessary for optimizing medical care for children with SCD experiencing acute and chronic neurologic morbidity.