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

This study looked at children with neurological conditions at a hospital in Cameroon over 4 years. Of 854 children studied, epilepsy was most common (43%), followed by cerebral palsy (31%) and autism (14%). About 1 in 4 children visiting the hospital had neurological problems. Interestingly, half of families tried traditional healers first before seeing doctors, while about one-third went to doctors first.

This descriptive study examined pediatric neurological disorders at a major hospital in Cameroon from January 2020 to December 2023. Among 4,130 pediatric consultations, 854 patients aged 3 months to 18 years met inclusion criteria for neurological evaluation. The three most common conditions were epilepsy (43.4%), cerebral palsy (31.3%), and autism spectrum disorders (13.9%). Neurological disorders represented 26.9% of all pediatric consultations.

Notably, 49.6% of families initially sought traditional practitioners before conventional medical care, while 34.2% chose conventional medicine first. The findings highlight the significant burden of pediatric neurological conditions in this African healthcare setting and inform resource allocation priorities.

Results suggest autism represents a notable proportion of pediatric neurological presentations in Cameroon. The preference for traditional practitioners highlights need for culturally sensitive healthcare approaches and earlier identification strategies. Findings support resource allocation for pediatric neurology services and autism-specific interventions in similar settings.

Single-center study limiting generalizability. Descriptive design without control group or detailed diagnostic criteria. Medical record review may have incomplete data. No information on diagnostic methods or follow-up outcomes provided.

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. 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. 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. 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.