What is one treatment recommended for children with sickle cell disease?

Children with sickle cell disease often receive various treatments aimed at managing their condition and preventing complications. The recommended treatment of hydroxyurea is significant for children with sickle cell disease because it reduces the frequency of painful crises and decreases the need for blood transfusions. This medication works by increasing fetal hemoglobin levels, which can decrease the sickling phenomenon in red blood cells.

The pneumococcal vaccine is important and recommended for children with sickle cell disease to prevent infections, particularly pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, as they are at a heightened risk for infections due to their compromised spleen function. However, while vaccines are crucial for infection prevention, they do not directly treat the underlying disease or its immediate complications.

Bone marrow transplant is a potential curative treatment for sickle cell disease but is only suitable for a limited number of patients, typically those who have a well-matched donor and are in a stable condition.

Regular transfusions can also be beneficial in specific scenarios, such as to manage severe symptoms or to prevent stroke, but they are not a routine treatment for all children with sickle cell disease and carry risks of iron overload and other complications.

Thus, hydroxyurea is recognized as a frontline therapy specifically for the management