Clinical Profile of Pediatric Neurological Disorders at the Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND

Neurological conditions account for more than 20% of disease-related morbidity worldwide. Many of those affected by neurological conditions live in Africa, but there are limited descriptions of their prevalence.

METHODS

We conducted a descriptive study of all patients aged 3 months to 18 years who were evaluated in the pediatric neurology clinic between January 2020 and December 2023. The data, collected by review of the patients' medical records by the principal investigator, included age, gender, medical history, examination findings, diagnosis, and treatment. Data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 21) software using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

During the study period, 4,130 patients had pediatric consultations at Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, of which 1,111 (26.9%) were seen in the pediatric neurology clinic for evaluation of pediatric neurological disorders. A total of 854 patients met our inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The most common conditions were epilepsy (43.4%), cerebral palsy (31.3%), and autism spectrum disorders (13.9%). Regarding the therapeutic itinerary, most patients opted first for traditional practitioners (49.6%), while a smaller proportion (34.2%) chose conventional medicine as the first treatment option.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric neurological disorders account for a quarter of pediatric consultations at the Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, with the most common diagnoses being epilepsy and cerebral palsy. This may help in defining priorities, especially as far as rehabilitation, training and resources allocation are concerned.