Amira Masri1, Hanan Hamamy, Amal Khreisat. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Jordan, P.O. Box 1612, 11941 Amman, Jordan. masriamira69@hotmail.com
Abstract
AIM: To assess etiologies and risk factors for global developmental delay (GDD) in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2006 and 2007, a retrospective study was carried out at the Child Neurology Clinic of Jordan University Hospital on all 229 children under five years of age presenting with GDD. To assess risk factors for GDD, 229 age-matched healthy children were included as controls. RESULTS: A definite etiology for GDD could be determined in 102 (44.5%) patients, while 127 (55.5%) patients remained undiagnosed .The most common category for the GDD was cerebral palsy (CP) seen in 72 patients (31.4%), of which the underlying etiology was determined in 50 patients (69.5%). The second most common category was metabolic disorders where a definite metabolic cause was reached in 15 (6.5%) patients and a possible metabolic cause was suspected in 16 (6.9%) cases. Other etiologies included other monogenic disorders in 12 (5.2%) patients, brain malformations in 7 (3.0%) patients, chromosomal abnormalities in 6 (2.6%) patients, and autism in 12 (5.2%) patients. History of perinatal complications and consanguinity were major risk factors (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the first and largest study on GDD in a highly consanguineous Arab population. Cerebral palsy and metabolic disorders were the most common causes of GDD in Jordan, while perinatal complications and consanguinity were the major risk factors contributing to GDD.
AIM: To assess etiologies and risk factors for global developmental delay (GDD) in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2006 and 2007, a retrospective study was carried out at the Child Neurology Clinic of Jordan University Hospital on all 229 children under five years of age presenting with GDD. To assess risk factors for GDD, 229 age-matched healthy children were included as controls. RESULTS: A definite etiology for GDD could be determined in 102 (44.5%) patients, while 127 (55.5%) patients remained undiagnosed .The most common category for the GDD was cerebral palsy (CP) seen in 72 patients (31.4%), of which the underlying etiology was determined in 50 patients (69.5%). The second most common category was metabolic disorders where a definite metabolic cause was reached in 15 (6.5%) patients and a possible metabolic cause was suspected in 16 (6.9%) cases. Other etiologies included other monogenic disorders in 12 (5.2%) patients, brain malformations in 7 (3.0%) patients, chromosomal abnormalities in 6 (2.6%) patients, and autism in 12 (5.2%) patients. History of perinatal complications and consanguinity were major risk factors (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the first and largest study on GDD in a highly consanguineous Arab population. Cerebral palsy and metabolic disorders were the most common causes of GDD in Jordan, while perinatal complications and consanguinity were the major risk factors contributing to GDD.