Discharge against Medical Advice among Children in Oman: A university hospital experience.

OBJECTIVES: Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is a major problem in healthcare delivery as it can complicate the health problems from which patients are suffering. The aim of this study was to understand DAMA among children in a tertiary teaching hospital in Oman and to evaluate the documentation of the events in the medical records. METHODS: A retrospective survey of the medical records of patients discharged against medical advice over a two-year interval was performed (2004-2006). RESULTS: Of the 11,802 admissions, there were 38 cases of DAMA, giving a prevalence rate of 0.32%. In 39.5% of the cases, the discharge happened within 24 hours of hospital admission. The majority of the cases were infants (n = 24; 63.25%). The diagnosis at discharge in some cases included life-threatening conditions. However, in 57.9% of the cases, the reasons for DAMA were neither reported nor documented in the patients' medical records. CONCLUSION: Although the results of this study yielded a low prevalence rate compared to the rates reported in other studies, the occurrence of DAMA for children in a tertiary hospital is a distressing phenomenon. It was evident that the documentation of the DAMA process was poor. More studies should be conducted to understand the details of the problem. Policies should be established and implemented in order to attempt to reduce DAMA among child patients and to protect them from the consequences of such discharges.

Evolution of epileptic encephalopathy in an infant with non-accidental head injury.

A 5-month-old child, previously healthy, was hospitalized with frequent episodes of tonic seizures. The seizures were controlled with antiepileptic medication. However, the parents did not continue medications after discharge from the hospital. The child was admitted several times with breakthrough seizures. Over time the seizures became refractory to treatment. Neurometabolic work up and imaging studies for uncontrolled seizures revealed non-accidental head injury (shaken baby syndrome) as the underlying cause. His first EEG was normal and changed from normal to an epileptic encephalopathy pattern during his several admissions for uncontrolled seizures. From a normal child at the first admission, the child was severely regressed at the last admission. The present paper highlights the evolution of EEG changes in a child with non-accidental head injuries. This report also highlights considering non-accidental head injury as the underlying cause in younger children presenting with unexplained epileptic encephalopathy.

Vehicular Entrapment and Heat Stroke in Three children: Is it a Form of Child Neglect?

The medical records of three children who were entrapped inside vehicles are reviewed and their outcome following the incidents were assessed in this report. The children developed heat stroke following the incidents and survived after several days in coma but with severe cognitive functions impairment. Two of the children were left with hyperactivity and attention deficit, while the third had active epilepsy.Vehicular entrapment heat stroke is one of the preventable brain injuries in children. Several children get entrapped in cars or other vehicles yearly and survivors are left with significant brain damage. The usual cause for brain damage is heat stroke the lesson learned was to never leave children unattended in cars. Therefore, it is essential to double check that doors are locked when leaving children unattended near vehicles.