Hematology Educational Materials

  • 504 plan for education (sickle cell)

    A Section 504 plan allows students with sickle cell to get accommodations to help them learn better. Learn how to request this plan for your child.

  • Acute chest syndrome and sickle cell disease

    Acute chest syndrome is a complication (health problem) caused by sickle cell disease. Learn about symptoms and treatment for acute chest syndrome.

  • Acute splenic sequestration and sickle cell disease

    Acute splenic sequestration happens when sickled red blood cells get trapped in the spleen, causing the spleen to enlarge. It can be life-threatening. Learn more about this medical emergency.

  • After hours labs for sickle cell patients

    After-hours labs allow your child to have blood samples taken after 5 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. We hope this will make the process easier for your child and your family.

  • Aplastic crisis

    An aplastic crisis occurs when the body does not make enough new red blood cells to replace the red blood cells that are circulating in the body. This can be a serious condition. Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatment of aplastic anemia.

  • Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)

    Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a disease of the immune system that causes red blood cells to break open or lyse (break down). Learn about managing autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

  • Avascular necrosis and sickle cell disease

    Avascular necrosis results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone in the hip or shoulder joint. Learn more about avascular necrosis and how to manage it.

  • Bleeding disorder patients: What you should know

    Find out who to call and when to phone for help with your child’s medical care. Call 911 if your child has a medical emergency.

  • Blood clot facts and treatment

    A blood clot occurs when blood becomes solid. Blood clots can have serious health problems. Learn how and why blood clots form and how they are treated.

  • Blood counts and sickle cell disease

    If your child has sickle cell disease, counting and studying blood cells can tell the St. Jude staff about your child’s disease and how to treat it. Learn more about blood counts.

  • Blood counts for hematology patients

    What are the types of blood cells, how are they tested, and what do the results mean? Learn about blood counts and when to call the doctor.

  • Bone Marrow Failure and MDS Clinic patients: Who to call and when?

    Use the information here to quickly reach a member of your child’s medical team.

  • Constipation and sickle cell disease

    Some pain medicines, lack of physical activity, and a low-fiber diet can make it difficult to have a bowel movement. Learn more about prevention and treatment if your child is constipated.

  • Dysfibinogenemia

    When fibrinogen, also called Factor I, does not work properly, the patient has dysfibinogenemia. Learn about bleeding prevention and treatment.

  • Enuresis and sickle cell disease

    Enuresis (bed wetting) is a common problem for children and teens with sickle cell disease. Learn about treatments for enuresis.

  • Fever in bleeding disorder patients

    If your child has a bleeding disorder and a central venous port or IV line, find out what to do if your child develops fever.

  • Financial help for factor and related products

    Treatment for hemophilia includes medicine to replace a substance that makes the blood clot. This substance is called "clotting factor," or just "factor." This information is about programs that can help with the cost of factor and related products.

  • Gallstones and sickle cell disease

    Gallstones are common problem for people with sickle cell disease. Learn about how gallstones form and what kinds of foods to eat to prevent them from forming.

  • Giving factor at home through an IV

    Learn how to infuse (give) the factor medicine through an IV.

  • Giving factor through a subcutaneous port

    Learn what you need to know to place a needle in the port, give the factor medicine, and remove the needle from the port when you are finished.

  • Hemolytic anemia

    Hemolytic anemia is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream sooner than they should be. Learn more about hemolytic anemia and how to manage it.

  • Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin

    Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin (HPFH) is an unusual condition in which red blood cells contain greater than normal amounts of hemoglobin F (fetal hemoglobin). Learn more about caring for a child who has HPFH.

  • How to mix factor VIII (Advate®) at home

    Learn how to mix factor VIII before giving it to your child through an IV.

  • How to read your insurance card

    Your insurance card has a lot of important information about your and your child’s medical benefits. Learn how to understand what all the words and symbols mean.

  • How to treat a bleed

    When your child has a bleeding disorder, it is important to act quickly when there is a bleed, whether it is an open wound or a bruise. Learn how to reduce the bleeding.

  • IEP for education (sickle cell)

    Your child may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) if sickle cell disease is affecting learning skills. Learn about IEP and how to schedule a meeting.

  • Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)

    Immune thrombocytopenia is a disease of the immune system that causes low platelet counts. In ITP, the immune system attacks the platelets by mistake and causes them to be destroyed in the spleen. Learn about managing ITP.

  • Infection and sickle cell disease

    People with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of developing certain infections, including pneumonia, blood stream infections, meningitis, and bone infections. Learn how to prevent and treat infection in someone with sickle cell disease.

  • Iron deficiency anemia

    Having less iron than normal can lead to anemia. This means you have fewer red blood cells and less oxygen in every part of your body. The medical term for anemia caused by low iron is “iron deficiency anemia."

  • IVIG treatment for ITP

    IVIG, also called intravenous immune globulin, is a treatment given for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Learn more about how IVIG helps your child’s immune system work better.

  • Joint bleeds in hemophilia

    Joint bleeds are the most common type of bleed for patients with hemophilia. Learn about symptoms and treatment to prevent joint damage.

  • Maintaining your child’s IV

    Learn how the St. Jude staff maintains and takes care of your child's IV in the hospital, and how to maintain in IV at home.

  • Medical alert bracelets for bleeding disorders

    Learn about medical alert bracelets for bleeding disorders.

  • Over-the-counter medicines and bleeding risk

    Some over-the-counter medicines increase your child's risk of bleeding. Learn how to give your child medicines safely to prevent bleeding.

  • Pain and sickle cell disease: What you can do

    Learn about the types of pain your child can have with sickle cell disease and how to best help your child through support and treatment.

  • Pain and teens with sickle cell disease

    Learn about the types of pain your teen can have with sickle cell disease and how to best help your teen through support and treatment.

  • Parvovirus infection

    Parvovirus virus prevents the body from making red blood cells, which can lead to a dangerous condition, called aplastic anemia. Learn more about parvovirus.

  • Pica and sickle cell disease

    Pica is an eating disorder that causes a person to crave non-food items. It is common in patients with sickle cell disease. Learn more.

  • Platelet storage pool deficiencies

    Storage pool deficiencies are a group of bleeding disorders caused by problems with platelet granules. Granules are little sacs inside the platelet where proteins and other chemicals are stored. Learn about managing care when your child has a platelet storage pool deficiency.

  • Priapism and sickle cell disease

    Priapism is a painful erection of the penis that lasts for an extended time. In children with sickle cell disease, priapism is caused by the sickling of red blood cells in the penis. Learn more about managing this serious condition.

  • Retinopathy and sickle cell disease

    Retinopathy, a condition in which the eye is deprived of oxygen and becomes damaged, can be caused by sickle cell disease. Learn more.

  • Rule out bleeding disorder

    Untreated bleeding disorders can lead to dangerous bleeding or anemia. Learn about bleeding disorder testing.

  • SCANS Program neuropsychology testing

    Learn how neuropsychological testing can help a child with sickle cell disease.

  • Sickle cell kidney disease

    If sickle cell disease blocks normal blood flow to the kidneys, they do not get enough oxygen. This keeps them from working well. Learn more about sickle cell kidney disease.

  • Sickle cell patients ages 6–18 years: Who to call? When to phone?

    Find out who to call and when to phone for help with your child’s medical care. Call 911 if your child has a medical emergency.

  • Sickle cell patients newborn to 5 years, 11 months: Who to call? When to phone?

    Find out who to call and when to phone for help with your child’s medical care. Call 911 if your child has a medical emergency.

  • Splenectomy (Surgery to remove the spleen)

    Learn about how sickle cell disease can affect the spleen and when it might need to be removed.

  • Stimate / DDAVP challenge

    Learn the facts about DDAVP, a medicine used to help stop bleeding. We do a Stimate®/DDAVP challenge to make sure the medicine will help your child.

  • Talking about sickle cell disease

    Helping your child understand sickle cell disease, or SCD, can help them cope better with treatment. This includes coping with needle sticks that are part of SCD treatment.

  • TCD ultrasound and sickle cell disease

    Prepare your child for a Transcranial Doppler ultrasound, a test that shows how fast blood moves through the blood vessels in your child’s brain.

  • Therapeutic phlebotomy

    Your child might need therapeutic phlebotomy for a condition called “iron overload.” Iron overload is having too much iron in the blood. Learn more.

  • Urgent care for patients with von Willebrand Disease

    Find out who to call and when to phone for help with your child’s medical care. Call 911 if your child has a medical emergency.

  • Vaccines and bleeding disorders

    Learn about the safest way for children with bleeding disorders to get vaccines.

  • Venipuncture

    Prepare your child for venipuncture, the process of putting a needle in a vein. Learn about making the vein easier to see and “hard to stick” veins.

  • Vitamin D deficiency and sickle cell disease

    People with sickle cell disease are at high risk for low levels of vitamin D, which can cause chronic pain, osteoporosis, bone fractures, and muscle weakness. Learn more about getting vitamin D in food and about treatment if your child has a deficiency.

  • What is hemophilia

    Hemophilia is a genetic (usually inherited) disorder that causes a person to have less clotting protein. Learn about the types of hemophilia and more about managing care for your child.

  • WinRho® treatment for ITP

    Your child may get the medicine WinRho® to treat immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Learn more about WinRho® here.

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