Sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is a serious and life threatening disease that affects approximately 1 in 600 African-Americans. Since its first description in 1910 by Herrick, our understanding and treatment of this disease has grown tremendously. Most pediatricians will encounter one or more children with sickle cell disease and should have a thorough understanding of the disease, its complications, and treatment. This article summarizes present day knowledge about the complications and potential treatments for patients with sickle cell disease.