title: Audit of an urban paediatric emergency department visits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to highlight the health seeking behavior of children in an Emergency Department (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective files review of ED was done for the month of July, 2008. Data about the children ≤12 years of age was gathered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In one month period a total 21000 patients visited our ED, out of them 6120 (29%) were children. Males, Saudis and children of (1-6 years) were more frequent, i.e., 3540 (57.8%), 5760 (94.1%) and 3180 (52%), respectively. Majority of patients visited in shift "2", i.e., 15:30 hours to 23:30 hours. Among the patients "diseases of respiratory system" were found more frequent 4170 (68.1%) and main diagnosis was "acute upper respiratory tract infection" 3300 (53.9%). Non-urgent cases were 2020 (33%) while 244 (4%) were admitted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young children as well as non-urgent cases were predominant. Evening shift was the busiest one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Research, Alnoor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zohair J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Gazzaz
authors.forename: Khalid O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Dhafar
authors.forename: Othman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maimini
authors.forename: Mian Usman
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.forename: Iftikhar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
keywords: Children; emergency; infection; respiratory tract