Publication:

Clinical profile of neurological disorders in children: a hospital-based experience of a tertiary care centre in Kashmir

Background Neurological disorders in paediatric age group constitute a major cause of hospital visits both elective and emergent. Due to fast maturity of nervous system within the first few years of life they are more prone to neurological disorders, which mostly can be preventive and rehabilitative in nature. Purpose of this study was to know the pattern and spectrum of neurological disorders among children presenting to a tertiary health care facility in Kashmir.

Methods This was a retrospective analysis of the data of all the children in the age group 1 month to 18 years admitted with neurological disorders over a period of 12 month. Diagnosis was made on the basis of history, physical examination and relevant laboratory and radiological investigations.

Results Out of 21732 patients admitted during this study period, 562 patients had neurological disorders, an occurrence rate of 25 per 1000 hospitalized patients, with a male female ratio of 1.4:1. The most common neurological disorder was seizures followed by cerebral palsy and CNS infection.

Conclusions Neurological disorders constitute one of the common reasons for childhood hospitalization, implying a comprehensive must be set up in place to deal with these neurological problems as is existing elsewhere in our country, and in developed world for appropriate delivery of health care.