Assessment of Cognitive Disorders and Their Impact on School Performance in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease at the Albert Royer Children’s Hospital, Dakar, Senegal

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle cell disease can cause chronic cerebral arteriopathy with numerous complications, including neurocognitive disorders. In Africa, there are few studies on neurocognitive disorders. The objective of our study was to determine the cognitive disorders observed in children with sickle cell disease and their impact on their schooling. Patients and Methods : This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study with an analytical focus conducted between May 14, 2021, and July 31, 2021 (2 months and 17 days) among SS sickle cell children aged 6 to 16 years who were regularly monitored in the USAD outpatient clinic. They were matched with healthy children of the same age and sex. The Wechsler scale, WISC-V, was used for the neuropsychological assessment of the children. Results: Twenty-four children were included, with a mean age of 11.62 years and extremes of 6 and 16 years. A male predominance was noted (54.16%). All cognitive functions were affected, with working memory and visuospatial abilities being the most severely impaired. In terms of schooling, 13 children had repeated at least one year, representing a repetition rate of 54.16%, and the dropout rate was 50%. Conclusion: Sickle cell disease is a common condition in Senegal with numerous neurological complications, particularly neurocognitive deficits. These deficits can have a negative impact on children’s education and socialization.