Early Intervention as a Way of Reducing Neurocognitive Delay in Pediatric Sickle Cell Patients

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that largely affects African Americans in the United States. This disease leads to an increased risk of neurocognitive decline and delay in pediatric patients with or without cerebral events. Despite its proven benefits, early intervention (EI) is underutilized in this population. This review aims to investigate the use of specific EI services within the pediatric SCD population and whether any combination of these services can lead to a better outcome than others. A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The methods involved a systematic search using Boolean-modifier terms related to sickle cell and neurocognitive delay, with inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to select 19 relevant pediatric-focused articles, guided by PRISMA methodology. Results found that the use of EI services has proven to be beneficial in this population. Further research is needed to investigate EI services, such as the use of these therapies for preventative measures prior to symptoms or diagnosis of neurocognitive delay, and whether the starting age could affect the neurocognitive outcomes of the patients.