Child Fatalities in Dammam: A Call for Child Fatality Reviews in Arab Countries

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Forensic Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Child mortality prevention requires understanding risk exposure.
• Child fatalities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, lacked comprehensive review data.
• Previous studies on child mortality causes in the region are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the causes and circumstances of child fatalities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, between 1999 and 2015.
• To identify key risk factors contributing to child mortality in the region.
• To evaluate the adequacy of investigative procedures for child deaths.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of death reports for children and adolescents (1999-2015).
• Data extraction on demographics, cause of death, circumstances, and autopsy findings.
• Statistical analysis to identify patterns and trends in child fatalities.

Main Results:

• A total of 157 child fatalities were analyzed; boys constituted 69%.
• Accidents (51%, primarily immersion) and homicide (25%) were the leading circumstances of death.
• Head injury (27%) and firearm injury were the most common causes of death; only 33% of cases had autopsies.

Conclusions:

• Child deaths in Dammam are significantly influenced by preventable circumstances like accidents and homicide.
• Investigative procedures, including autopsy rates, are notably deficient, hindering accurate cause determination.
• The absence of multidisciplinary child fatality review teams in Arab countries necessitates strategic implementation to improve child safety and mortality prevention.