© 1987 by Oxford University Press
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The Pattern of Central Nervous Disease in Children in King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
King Khalid University Hospital Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
*For correspondance.
Two hundred and sixty children with CNS disease in the age groups 3 months to 15 years were studied. There were 133 males (51 per cent) and 127 females (49 per cent). The aetiological factors studied showed prenatal origin in 28 per cent, perinatal in 13 per cent, post-natal in 32 per cent and mixed causes in 4 per cent. The aetiology could not be defined in the remainder. The pattern of disease was studied and the following were the presenting diagnostic problems:
Convulsive disorders 125 patients (48 per cent). There were 68 (26 per cent) patients with febrile convulsions and 53 (20 per cent) patients with epilepsy and 4 (2 per cent) with various metabolic causes. The cerebral palsies were seen in 53 (20 per cent) patients and these included the usual known types, but there was a higher incidence in females with a female:male ratio of 19:33. All the other diagnostic groups showed a higher incidence in males.
Head injuries were seen in 29 (11 per cent) patients. The types of injuries are not discussed.
Congenital malformations excluding hydrocephalus were present in eight patients (3 per cent).
Hydrocephalus was seen in 10 patients (4 per cent).
The other group, 36 patients in total (14 per cent) constituted heredodegenerative disorders, microcephaly, tumours, rheumatic chorea, spinal cord injuries, and some miscellaneous problems.