Chronic illness in preschool Jordanian children

This is a prevalence study of chronic illness and disability in Jordanian children 0-7 years of age living in Sweileh, a suburb of Amman. The study was performed in 1991. A total number of 2528 children were examined, representing more than 95% of the children 0-7 years in the catchment area. Of these, 198 (7.8%) had a disability or a chronic disease. Fifty-eight children (2.6%) were classified as moderately or severely affected. Boys were in the majority. Compared with the findings in European and American studies, congenital eye diseases and severe mental retardation were common while atopic diseases were rare. Consanguinity seemed to be important in the aetiology of chronic diseases. Social background factors did not have a substantial impact on the overall prevalence, but psychomotor delay and a sequel to an injury were more common in children from poor families.