Psychiatric morbidity among children with sickle-cell disease

The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was investigated among 84 children with sickle-cell disease (SCD) and 84 healthy matched controls, using Rutter's Behaviour Questionnaires. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity on the parents' and teachers' scales, respectively, was 26.2 and 22.6 per cent for children with SCD and 4.8 and 6.0 per cent for controls. Boys with SCD had significantly higher mean scores than girls, with older children having higher scores than younger ones. Behavioural deviance in seven children occurred both at home and in school, while in 27 it was situational. 34 children had psychiatric morbidity: 14 were neurotic, 11 were antisocial, six were antisocial and neurotic, and the diagnostic category for each of the remaining three differed. Behavioural problems among children with SCD and implications for therapy and prevention are discussed.