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Semin Neurol 2018; 38(02): 200-207
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1649336
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Global Health: Pediatric Neurology

David R. Bearden
1   Division of Child Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York
,
Ornella Ciccone
2   Department of Pediatrics, Arthur Davison Children's Hospital, Ndola, Zambia
,
Archana A. Patel
3   Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
› Author Affiliations
Funding Source This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 May 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Neurologic disorders contribute significantly to both morbidity and mortality among children in resource-limited settings, but there are a few succinct studies summarizing the epidemiology of neurologic disorders in these settings. A review of available literature was performed to identify data on the prevalence, etiology, outcomes, and treatment of neurologic disorders in children in resource-limited settings. The burden of neurologic disorders in children is high in resource-limited settings. Barriers to optimal care include lack of trained personnel, limited access to diagnostic technology, and limited availability of drugs used to treat common conditions. Several solutions have been suggested to deal with these challenges including increased collaborations to train neurologists willing to practice in resource-limited settings and increased training of physician extenders or community health workers. Further studies are necessary to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of neurologic disorders in resource-limited settings. Future epidemiologic studies should incorporate multiple countries in resource-limited settings and utilize standardized definitions and methodologies to enable comparison across regions.

Keywords

nervous system disorders - neurologic impairment - low- and middle-income countries - children

Financial Disclosure

All authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.