Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in Tripoli, Libya: the need for more research and planned services
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Abstract
Data on autism are lacking for Libya. We conducted a hospital-based study in the Neurodevelopment Clinic of Al-Khadra Hospital in Tripoli to estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in children attending the clinic. All children referred to the clinic between 2005 and 2009 with a diagnosis of speech and language disorders or behavioural difficulties were assessed. There were 38508 children in total seen during 2005-09, 180 of whom had a history of delayed speech and language and/or behavioural difficulties. Of the 180, 128 children were diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder: 99 had classical autism, giving the prevalence of about 4 in 1000. The male:female ratio for autistic spectrum disorders was 4:1 and for autism was 4.5:1. The most common age at presentation was 2-5 years [58%] and 56% presented 6-18 months after the onset of symptoms. Physicians should consider autism in the differential diagnosis of any child presenting with a speech and language disorder and/or behavioural difficultiesCitation
Zeglam, A.M. & Maouna, A.J. (2012). Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in Tripoli, Libya: the need for more research and planned services. EMHJ - Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 18 (2), 184 - 188, 2012 https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/118465