Home stimulation is associated with cognitive ability, working memory, and school readiness in preschool-age children with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVES: Research has indicated that many medical and psychosocial factors contribute to cognitive deficits in sickle cell disease (SCD). Some studies of SCD in early childhood found cognitive functioning to be associated with socioeconomic status but not disease severity. The current study examined how the home environment is associated with cognitive functioning and school readiness in children with SCD. METHODS: Young children (n = 29; M age = 4.4 years SD = 0.3) with SCD underwent an evaluation of cognitive and academic skills. Subsequently, researchers and caregivers completed the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME), an in-home measure of cognitive stimulation. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between each of the HOME subscales and cognitive and academic measures while controlling for genotype. RESULTS: The total score from the HOME inventory was associated with overall IQ, working memory, and school readiness. Among the subscales of the HOME inventory, Learning Materials, Modeling, and Variety were associated with cognitive and academic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulation in a child's home may affect cognitive and academic development in young children with SCD. Future research should examine the benefits of increasing learning materials and the variety of activities in the homes of young SCD patients.