Primary disorders of the nervous system admitted to the Pediatric ward of Seoul National University Hospital during 10 years from January 1969 till December 1978 were analysed to observe particularly the annual change of the incidence. Total number of the diseases of the nervous system was 1522, about 20.2% of the total admitted patients during this period. Annual incidence of the diseases of the nervous system was decreasing. It is mainly due to decreased incidence of the infectious diseases, such as tuberculous meningitis, encephalitis and encephalopathy. The most common deseases of the nervous system during the 10 years were tuberculous meningitis 370 cases (24.3%), aseptic meningitis 122 cases (8.0%), grand mal epilepsy 102 cases (6.7%), unspecified convulsion 79 cases (5.2%), bacterial meningitis 77 cases (5.1%), infectious polyneuritis 68 cases (4.5%), encephalitis 63 cases (4.1%), febrile convulsion 59 cases (3.9%), and unspecified encephalopathy 57 cases (3.7%) in the order of frequency. The incidences of tuberculous meningitis was noted in March, April and May, aseotic meningitis in June, July, August and September, encephalitis in September and October, encephalopathy in June, July, and August, and infectious polyneuritis, in July and August. Mumps meningo encephalities predominantly affected male children. Bacterial meningitis was most common before 2 years of age, especially before 6 months, and tuberculous meningitis during second and third year of life. Aseptic meningitis and mumps meningitis wee mots common at 7 years of age. Encephalopathy occured commonly before one year of age, and Reye's syndrome before four years of age. Unspecified convulsion was commonly observeb before 6 months of age, and febrile convulsion before one year. Infectius ployneuritis was common due to meninitis (76 cases) particularly tuberculous meningitis (50 cases), the next was encephalopathy, unspecified (31 cases).
Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Encephalitis ; Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Male ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Mumps ; Nervous System* ; Neuritis ; Reye Syndrome ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile ; Seoul ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal