Children's National Center for Sickle Cell Disease

Children's National Center for Sickle Cell Disease, part of Children's National Hospital, in Washington, DC, provides comprehensive sickle cell disease care for pediatric (children and adolescents). A comprehensive SCD clinic delivers hematology follow-up, transfusion services, pain management, stem-cell-transplant evaluation, and behavioral-health support in one coordinated program rather than forcing families to navigate multiple siloed specialty appointments.

Typical services include: hemoglobin genotyping + confirmatory testing after a positive newborn screen; twice-daily penicillin prophylaxis oversight through age five; hydroxyurea initiation and dose titration (the cornerstone disease-modifying therapy); management of vaso-occlusive crises + chronic pain protocols; monitoring for acute chest syndrome, stroke, and end-organ damage; transfusion therapy + chelation where indicated; adolescent-to-adult transition programming — structured handoff from pediatric to adult hematology, the highest-mortality window in the SCD lifespan.

This center is a member of the NHLBI Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium (SCDIC), a federally funded network of comprehensive SCD centers that harmonize clinical research and care protocols. To become a patient, call the number on this page or ask your primary-care provider to fax a referral. Bring your most recent CBC, any prior hematology notes, and a list of current medications to the intake appointment.