Neurological disorders among children in Osogbo, southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Neurological disorders in children cause disability, handicapping and reduction in the potential of the affected child and are therefore sources of major concern to parents, health workers and governments worldwide. To determine the pattern of neurologic abnormalities at a follow up clinic in our health facility, a descriptive study of the patients who attended the neurology clinic of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital. Osogbo for 4 yr that is, between January 2006 and December 2009 was undertaken. The data obtained at first clinic attendance included age, sex, family history of neurological disorders and clinical presentations. Detailed physical and neurological examinations and the anthropometric measurements of the patients were also performed. Two hundred and forty nine patients were studied. One hundred and forty two (57.0%) males and 107 (43.0%) females with male:female ratio 1.33:1. The ages of the patients at first contact ranged between 2 to 168 mo (2 mo to 14 yr) with the mean of 56.83 ? 49.56 mo. Leading clinical presentations were seizures in 168 (67.5%), developmental delay in 86 (34.5%), movement disorders, ataxia and gait abnormalities in 44 (17.7%), and microcephaly in 36 (14.4%). In descending order, the maain diagnoses were cerebral palsy, kernicterus and Down syndrome, post-meningitis complications, craniosynostosis, post-cerebral malaria complications and acute flaccid paralysis Patients were managed with chemotherapy, physical therapy, social and surgical care. To reduce the burden of neurologic abnormalities, a multi-pronged approach must be pursued at controlling the prevailing factors of cerebral palsy, kernicterus and meningitis. Improvement and sustained immunization programs ? especially against poliomyelitis and measles ? should also be ensured.

Pattern of Neurological Disorders among Children Presenting at the Neurology Unit of Tertiary Hospital in Awka

“…This is consistent with the results of other Nigerian studies at Zaria [5] Calabar [21], Benin [29], and elsewhere [30]. Contrary to the above reports, earlier studies in Nigeria identified seizure disorder as the commonest cause of the neurological disorder, as was documented in Port Harcourt [4], Oshogbo [22], Jos [25] and North African countries of Cairo, Egypt [26] and Khartoum Sudan [27]. These varying reports could be due to variations in geographic locations, socioeconomic and cultural differences and time variation.…”