Psychiatric Problems in Thalassemic Children

Beta-thalassemia is a chronic and genetically determined hematological disorder characterized by severe hemolytic anemia as a result of deficient synthesis of β chains of hemoglobin.

β-Thalassemia major is considered the commonest hemoglobinopathy in the Mediterranean area particularly Egypt with an estimated carrier rate of 9-10.2 % . From about registered β-thalassemia cases ; 95% of them are β-thalassemia major, and 5% are thalassemia intermediate.

It demands frequent blood transfusions to maintain life, while haemosiderosis and other complications of the disease require a continuous and distressing treatment regimen that includes parenteral iron chelation treatment and regular medical supervision.

The drawbacks of the disease in many aspects of life become strongly evident during the school age when children ask for independence . It has been related with psychosocial aspect and a significant negative effect on areas of school functioning because of the likelihood of physical deformity, growth retardation and delayed puberty besides the difficulty of management (such as regular transfusion and time-consuming iron chelation treatment) Social stigma associated with having thalassaemia have significant psychosocial and emotional impact on patients and their families(3) , so The affected children become more liable to emotional, social, psychological and behavioural problems .

No available studies about psychiatric problems among thalassemic children in Egypt . Also study that were conducted in the age < 12 years are few .

Inclusion criteria

• 1. Age between 6 to < 12 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who had bone marrow transplant and were cured of thalassemia .
• Neurological illness preventing them from expressing themselves and not able to communicate well