Profile of Mental and Behavioral Disorders Among Preschoolers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of mental and behavioral disorders in preschoolers is critical for a better prognosis, ultimately leading to improved quality of life for both the child and the family. Our study investigated the clinical profile of mental and behavioral disorders in children < 7 years of age, seeking consultation at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between 1 June 2006 and 31 December 2010. The objective was to explore demographic variables, intervention types, and annual trends.

Stress, anxiety, and depression among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Oman: a case-control study.

Previous studies carried out in Euro-American populations have unequivocally indicated that psychological disorders of the CASD (caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder) are marked with high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This finding has been attributed to the reaction of having to care for a child with neurodevelopmental disorders. While there have been reports on autism spectrum disorder in Arab/Islamic countries such as Oman, there is no study from this region, to our knowledge, reporting the performance of indices of stress, anxiety, and depression among CASD.

Decreased glutathione and elevated hair mercury levels are associated with nutritional deficiency-based autism in Oman.

Genetic, nutrition, and environmental factors have each been implicated as sources of risk for autism. Oxidative stress, including low plasma levels of the antioxidant glutathione, has been reported by numerous autism studies, which can disrupt methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of gene expression with neurodevelopmental consequences. We investigated the status of redox and methylation metabolites, as well as the level of protein homocysteinylation and hair mercury levels, in autistic and neurotypical control Omani children, who were previously shown to exhibit significant nutritional deficiencies in serum folate and vitamin B₁₂.

Unusual trichobezoar of the stomach and the intestine: a case report.

Introduction: Trichobezoars are an infrequent form of bezoar found in the stomach or intestine, created from ingested hair. This condition has been well described in the surgical literature, but less reported in psychiatry.

Case Presentation: We describe the case of an 18-year-old Middle Eastern Caucasian woman with trichotillomania who presented to our emergency department with a history of central abdominal pain associated with vomiting and constipation for five days.

Awareness about autism among school teachers in Oman: a cross-sectional study.

Children with special needs such as those with autism spectrum disorder have been recorded as ostracized and stigmatized in many parts of the world. Little is known about whether such negative views are present among mainstream teachers in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate school teachers' awareness about autism spectrum disorder in an urban region in Oman.

Impact of nutrition on serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid among Omani children with autism.

Objectives: Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood. Dietary supplementation of the ω-3 fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) during prenatal and postnatal life is considered a protective dietary intervention strategy to minimize the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To our knowledge, no relevant studies have been conducted in the Middle East investigating the status of DHA among children with autism during early childhood.

Low folate and vitamin B12 nourishment is common in Omani children with newly diagnosed autism.

Objective: Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12.

Methods: To assess the dietary and serum folate and vitamin B12 statuses, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in 80 Omani children (40 children with ASDs versus 40 controls).

Results: The ASD cases showed significantly lower levels of folate, vitamin B12, and related parameters in dietary intake and serum levels.

Levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with autism in Oman: a case-control study.

Toxic levels of heavy metals and low levels of essential minerals have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study documents the levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with ASD in Muscat, the urbanized capital of Oman, Muscat. The study included 27 children with ASD and 27 matched non-ASD controls.

Variation in socio-economic burden for caring of children with autism spectrum disorder in Oman: caregiver perspectives.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate whether caregiver's variations in socioeconomic status (SES) has direct bearing on challenges of nurturing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Oman. A cadre of caregivers (n = 150) from two types of SES (low-income and middle-high income) were compared based on four domains: (1) accessing and perception of remedial services, (2) utilization and perception of psychiatric services, (3) constraints for being a caregiver of children with ASD and (4) financial expenses of taking care of children with ASD. There is little indication that any particular SES fare well on these domains.

Effect of suboptimal breast-feeding on occurrence of autism: a case-control study.

Objective: To evaluate the association between suboptimal breast-feeding practices and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 102 ASD cases and 102 matched healthy controls.

Results: Based on adjusted odds ratios from logistic regression models, ASD was found to be associated with the late initiation of breast-feeding (odds ratio 1.

Hyperhomocysteinemia among Omani autistic children: a case-control study.

High serum homocysteine (Hcy) level is regarded as an indicator for impairment of folate-dependent methionine cycle and is associated with oxidative stress. In a case control study, we evaluated eighty 3-5 years old Omani children (40 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 40 their age and gender matched controls) for their fasting serum homocysteine levels as a biomarker of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Serum folate and vitamin B(12) status were also evaluated.

Increased markers of oxidative stress in autistic children of the Sultanate of Oman.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood, and an enumeration about its etiology and consequences is still limited. Oxidative stress-induced mechanisms are believed to be the major cause for ASD. In this study 19 autistic and 19 age-matched normal Omani children were recruited to analyze their degree of redox status and a prewritten consent was obtained.

Brief report: Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in the Sultanate of Oman.

Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in Oman is unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the prevalence of ASD among 0-14 year old children. Diagnoses were made as per DSM-IV-TR criteria and supplemented with information collected with the standard Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) questionnaire.

Characteristics of ADHD among Omani schoolchildren using DSM-IV: descriptive study.

Background: There is a dearth of studies describing the characteristics of ADHD among schoolchildren attending child psychiatry clinics in the Arab world. Most of the previous quests have focused on community surveys or themes that hampered international comparison.

Aim: This study screened for the presence of ADHD as well as investigates the psychosocial and educational history relevant for the diagnosis of ADHD among children.

A strange type of Pica.

Pica, where the patient eats non-food items such as mud, clay, varnish etc., is a common behavioural problem seen in children, pregnant women and the mentally retarded. However sponge pica is a very rare variation.

Profile of child and adolescent psychiatry in Oman.

Objective: To find the common behavioral problems in youth, their co-morbidity, treatment, and other variables in Oman.

Methods: All patients who attended the child psychiatric clinic in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, (the only child psychiatry clinic in Sultanate of Oman) for a 3-month period were investigated for behavioral problems, particularly hyperactivity (by Conners' Questionnaire). The diagnosis was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition.

Sleep problems among pupils in Benghazi, Libya.

Objective: To find the prevalence of sleep problems among pupils, its possible causes and associated behaviors.

Methods: This study was carried out during 3-24 February 1996. We randomly selected a sample of (277) 5th graders (181 boys and 96 girls), from 3 public primary schools in 3 different socio-economic areas in Benghazi, Libya.

Deliberate self-poisoning in Oman.

Objective: To describe the demographics, precipitating factors, substances and methods used for deliberate self-harm in Oman.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Accident and Emergency (A & E) records of patients treated at the A & E units in Muscat from 1993 to 1998. Data were obtained form the history, and clinical findings resulting form deliberate self-harm.

Growth pattern of primary schoolchildren in Benghazi, Libya.

Objective: To find the growth trends in a sample of schoolchildren in Benghazi (Libya), and to compare it with international and other local growth charts, as a step for setting the national curves.

Method: From 25 February to 31 October 1993, a sample of 2,022 pupils (1,160 boys and 862 girls) were randomly selected from three public primary schools in three different socio-economic areas in Benghazi. A questionnaire consisting of social and scholastic items was distributed to teachers a few days before the examination.

Accidental poisoning in children.

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