Objectives: This study aimed to provide an updated estimate of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among Omani children. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted from December 2011 to December 2018. Data were retrieved from the three main autism diagnostic centres in Oman: Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Royal Hospital and Al-Massarah Hospital. The ASD diagnosis was made by experienced clinicians based on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The overall population prevalence estimates per 10,000 children aged 0–14 years old in Oman were calculated using the denominator of the mid-period population data. Results: A total of 1,705 ASD cases were identified with the majority of cases being male (78.1%). The overall prevalence rate of ASD was estimated at 20.35 per 10,000 children (95% confidence interval: 19.39–21.32) between 2012–2018. Boys were found to have a 3.4-fold higher prevalence of ASD than girls (31.23/10,000 versus 9.07/10,000). Regionally, the majority of cases were found in the capital, Muscat, where the highest prevalence was 36.51 cases per 10,000 children. Conclusion: The prevalence of ASD among Omani children is 15-fold higher than estimates from 2011. This increase can be attributed to improvements in diagnostic services, increased awareness of ASD, better screening programmes and changes in diagnostic criteria. In addition, this increase in prevalence suggests a need for a registry of developmental disabilities and more extensive diagnostic and rehabilitation services in Oman.Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Epidemiology; Prevalence; Oman.

Purpose The study aims to describe the quality of life (QoL) in Omani children with epilepsy at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman. Methods One hundred and one Omani children, with an age range from 5 to 18 years, diagnosed with epilepsy were enrolled in the study over 3 months. Descriptive epidemiology was used to characterize QoL in these children. QoL was measured using the PedsQL (4.0) questionnaire, a 23-item child and parent report questionnaire. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean QoL scores, and agreement between the QoL reports of children and parents was evaluated using Spearman’s rho; while, Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to determine differences in subscale ratings. Results Factors affecting QoL included family status, income level, social security coverage, type of treatment, seizure frequency, age of onset, and seizure-free duration in years. Children between 5 and 7 years and females, in general, were most affected, as reflected by the overall QoL subscale. Consistency between the children's self-reports and parent proxy reports on the PedsQL™ was moderate to low. Conclusion Omani children with epilepsy have poor QoL, and their psychosocial function is severely affected. Therefore, QoL should be an important outcome measure in managing children with epilepsy rather than just seizure control.