title: Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in Tripoli, Libya: the need for more research and planned services.
abstract: Data on autism are lacking for Libya. We conducted a hospital-based study in the Neurodevelopment Clinic of AI-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 38 508 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 difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Al-Khadra Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya. adelzeglam@gmail.com
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zeglam
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Maound
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors