The booklet is designed to help parents of children who have been diagnosed with health or mental health care needs to learn about available resources and to develop a partnership with their children’s school. Children with problems such as juvenile diabetes, asthma, cancer, diagnosed depression, sickle cell anemia, autism, cerebral palsy, etc need special care and attention. The HSC Foundation supported the development of this pamphlet as an informational resource by partnering with George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development.   Abstract source

Sickle cell trait (SCT) is not a disease, but having it means that a person has inherited the sickle cell gene from one of his or her parents. People with SCT usually do not have any of the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD) and live a normal life. People who have inherited one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have SCT. This means the person won’t have the disease, but will be a trait “carrier” and can pass it on to his or her children. The best way to find out if and how SCD runs in a person’s family is for the person to see a genetic counselor.  These professionals have experience with genetic blood disorders. The genetic counselor will look at the person’s family history and discuss with him or her what is known about SCD in the person’s family. It is best for a person with SCD to learn all he or she can about this disease before deciding to have children.   Abstract source

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder that affects red blood cells. Sickle cell disease affects more than 72,000 Americans, primarily those of African heritage, but also those of Arabian, Asian, Caribbean, Indian, Mediterranean, and South and Central American ancestry. Approximately one in ten African-Americans carries sickle cell trait. It is important to identify people who are carriers of an abnormal hemoglobin so they will be aware of their risk of having children with sickle cell disease. If both parents are carriers of sickle cell trait or another hemoglobin change (like hemoglobin C), there is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that they will have a child with sickle cell disease. The couple also has a 25% chance of having a child with regular hemoglobin (AA) and a 50% chance of having a child with a hemoglobin trait like the parents.   Abstract source

Background: Sickle cell anemia patients suffer from oxidative stress due to chronic inflammation and self-oxidation of sickle hemoglobin (Hb S). Chronic oxidative stress contributes to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and multiple organ damage in sickle cell disease (SCD). Thus, antioxidant medication may favorably influence the disease. Gum Arabic (GA), edible, dried, gummy exudates from Acacia Senegal tree, has been claimed to act as an anti-oxidant and cytoprotective agent, protecting against experimental hepatic, renal and cardiac toxicities in rats. We hypothesized that regular intake of GA increases anti-oxidant capacity and reduce oxidative stress.   Methods: Forty-seven patients (5-42 years) carrying hemoglobin SS were recruited. Patients received 30 g/day GA for 12 weeks. Total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were measured by spectrophotometric methods before and after GA intake. Complete blood count was measured by sysmex.   Results: Gum Arabic significantly increased TAC level P < 0.001and decreased the oxidative markers MDA (P < 0.05) and H2O2 (P < 0.005).   Conclusions: GA has potent anti- oxidative properties in sickle cell anemia. The anti-oxidant effect of GA may thus favorably influence the clinical condition of this and further diseases characterized by oxidative stress. Abstract source Full text

• There were as many as 50 sports-related deaths of young athletes in 2015, 25 in 2014, 32 in 2013, 33 in 2012, 39 in 2011 and 40 in 2010.
• A total of 7.8 million student athletes participated in sports during the 2014-2015 academic year, an increase of 11,389 from the previous year.
• Of those 7.8 million student athletes, 2.5 million participated in contact sports during the 2014-2015 academic year.
• In 2013, there were an estimated 1.35 million emergency room visits for injuries related to 14 commonly played sports in children ages 6-19.
• In total, approximately 46.5 million children play team sports each year in the U.S.

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  Many storms have come and gone – but Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins persevered and is finally opening up about her journey. The TLC singer will release her memoir, A Sick Life, with Rodale in September 2017, PEOPLE can exclusively announce. “I want to hopefully get stuff off my chest and inspire someone at the same time,” says Watkins, 46. “A lot of things have happened in my life that will come out in this book that a lot of people don’t know about, that I’ve never talked about. There are a lot of major life changes that I’m so, so, so blessed to have experienced.” Related story

Seventeen-year-old Ja’Vionte “Tae Money” Allen draws inspiration from his personal battle with sickle cell disease in his lyrics, but much of his drive to pursue a career as a rap artist comes from encouragement from his nurses at Akron Children’s Hospital. “It takes persistence,” Allen said of his music career. “My family tells me I just have to grind for it. Anything you want in life you have to grind for. It’s going to come.” Allen was born with sickle cell disease, a condition that prevents red blood cells from carrying adequate amounts of oxygen throughout the body. What typically results are episodes of pain in the joints and bones, swelling, infections, and vision problems. Related story