Objectives: To assess the impact on quality of life (QOL) caused by caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and examine the impact according to provincial residence. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study conducted from May to July 2019 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah. Eight hundred and twelve participants were included and divided equally into caregivers of children with and without ASDs. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via autism associations and parental support groups across all 13 Saudi Arabian provinces. Results: Caregivers of children with ASDs showed lower scores in most quality-of-life domains compared with those of caregivers of children without ASDs (p<0.05, except for one domain). The impacts of additional factors were considered, including the caregivers’ age, the relation of the caregiver to the child, the specific province of residence, and the provision of medical services. Conclusion: A significant negative correlation was found between caregiving for children with ASDs and quality-of-life scores.

Background: In developed countries, cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common neurological disorder in children. It is defined as a non-progressive disturbance to the developing brain leading to motor impairment that affects the child’s activity. CP is classified into three main subtypes: ataxic, spastic, and mixed. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CP and its subtypes in a single tertiary center located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Method: This retrospective record review study included 98 patients diagnosed with CP from 2004 to 2019. Data were extracted from the hospital medical record and assessed using various tools. Result: The total number of patients was 98, with an estimated CP prevalence of 1.6 per 1000 lives. Most of the patients (74.8%) had spastic CP subtype, and 54.8% had quadriplegia. The mean age of the live children was 7.45 ± 3.76 years. Moreover, gastrostomy was the most favorable feeding method. Conclusion: The prevalence of CP is almost equivalent to the national and worldwide figures. Spastic CP has the highest rates. Furthermore, the male gender has been identified as a significant risk factor for CP in the local community.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence has escalated in the last few decades; it is common to have children with ASD seek dental treatment. Their unique behavior patterns prevent them from attending a regular dental setting and receiving proper oral hygiene instructions (OHI); therefore, culturally adapted dental visual aids are necessary to teach them proper OHI. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of culturally adapted dental visual aids in improving oral hygiene (OH) status in children with ASD. A blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with sixty-four children with ASD were randomly divided into two groups according to the type of dental visual aids given to them. The experimental group received culturally adapted dental visual aids developed specifically for the study, and the control group received regular dental visual aids. OH status was assessed before and after using the dental visual aids, and data were processed using SPSS version 25.0. OH status improved significantly in both groups after using the dental visual aids (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), respectively. The experimental group showed significant improvement in comparison to the control group in OH status (p = 0.030). Both dental visual aids showed effectiveness in improving OH status in children with ASD.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the dental visual aids in behavior management of children with ASD. Electronic search for English scientific papers was accomplished using ScienceDirect, Wiley, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar and PubMed. Search terms were “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” “Dental visual aids,” “Dental visual guide,” and “Dental audiovisual modeling.” Full text and their references were reviewed and evaluated. Due to its effectiveness in increasing cooperation, modeling behavior and reducing anxiety, visual aids are effective during dental treatment of children with ASD compared to Tell–Show–Do.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence has risen dramatically in recent decades; it is now common for children with ASD to seek dental care. Because their distinct behavioral patterns prevent them from receiving dental care in a traditional dental clinic, structured dental visual aids are required to help prepare them for their dental appointment. This study aimed to test the effect of “culturally adapted dental visual aids” in decreasing anxiety levels during dental visits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial was performed. Sixty-four children with ASD ages 6–12 years were assigned randomly into test and control groups based on the type of dental visual aids they received. The test group received “culturally adapted dental visual aids” created especially for the study, and the control group received “regular dental visual aids”. Anxiety levels were assessed before and after using both dental visual aids. All data were processed using SPSS version 25.0. The test group had a significant decrease in anxiety levels compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The “culturally adapted dental visual aids” have effectively reduced anxiety levels in children with ASD during dental visits.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face several challenges in the healthcare setting. This study defines the challenges experienced by children with autism in hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire for guardians of autistic children in outpatient clinics, autism support groups, and rehabilitation centers. A total of 199 participants were included. The medical procedures causing the most anxiety to children were injections and getting their blood drawn (68.3%), vital sign measurement (41.6%), and height and weight measurement (37.8%). Long waiting hours (44.1%), increased sensory stimuli (33.2%), and overcrowding of hospital staff (27.9%) were stress-inducing in the healthcare environment. The guardians recommended that loud noises (44.7%), crowdedness (41.2%), and long waiting hours (42.1%) be avoided. The nonverbal children experienced significantly higher levels (p < 0.001) of agitation, irritability, and outbursts during doctor visits than their verbal counterparts. The children with intellectual disabilities were more tense and unresponsive during doctor visits (33.3%) than their intellectually able counterparts, who more frequently were calm and responsive (44.9%) during visits. Most patients with ASD face hardships during hospital visits. Nonverbal patients and those with intellectual disabilities have a higher tendency for hospital setting anxiety-induced outbursts, which may be eased by avoiding loud noise and overcrowding.