In the late 1990s there was a striking disparity among the number of black children who died of stroke as compared to white children. Black children were 74 percent more likely to die of a stroke, because of the higher prevalence of sickle cell anemia in that population.

Silent stroke may be the most common form of brain injury in children with sickle cell anemia, a rare, painful blood disorder. Recently, researchers have been able to pinpoint the risk factors for such strokes in children.