Non-communicable Diseases In Children Research Articles

Gut Mycobiome in Atopic Dermatitis and in Overweight Young Children: A Prospective Cohort Study in Finland.

Gut bacterial alterations have been previously linked to several non-communicable diseases in adults, while the association of mycobiome is not well understood in these diseases, especially in infants and children. Few studies have been conducted on the association between gut mycobiome and non-communicable diseases in children. We investigated gut mycobiome composition using 194 faecal samples collected at birth, 6 months after birth, and 18 months after birth in relation to atopic dermatitis (AD) and overweight diagnoses at the age of 18 or 36 months. The mycobiome exhibited distinct patterns, with Truncatella prevalent in the meconium samples of both overweight and non-overweight groups. Saccharomyces took precedence in overweight cases at 6 and 18 months, while Malassezia dominated non-overweight samples at 6 months. Saccharomyces emerged as a consistent high-abundance taxon across groups that had dermatitis and were overweight. We found a weak association between gut mycobiome and AD at birth and overweight at 18 months when using machine learning (ML) analyses. In ML, unidentified fungi, Alternaria, Rhodotorula, and Saccharomyces, were important for classifying AD, while Saccharomyces, Thelebolus, and Dothideomycetes were important for classifying overweight. Gut mycobiome might be associated with the development of AD and overweight in children.

The relationship between individual internal factors and the prevention of obesity in students of junior secondary education level (Grades 7-9)

Purpose: Obesity is a risk factor for non-communicable diseases in children contributing to their physical, mental and social effects. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between individual internal factors and the prevention of obesity in students at the junior secondary education level.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: A multi-stage random selection method was used to select 273 junior secondary education level (grades 7-9) students from the province of Chachoengsao to participate as the study's sample. A questionnaire was used for data collection and was divided into 7 parts: (1) general information about the sample, (2) knowledge about the prevention of obesity, (3) attitudes towards the prevention of obesity, (4) motivation in obesity prevention, (5) habits in obesity prevention, (6) student allowance management and (7) obesity prevention behavior. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage and correlation analysis.
 Findings: Factors correlated with obesity prevention behavior were obesity prevention habits (r=0.382) and student allowance (r=0.294).
 Conclusion: Parents and schools should give importance to building obesity prevention habits and encourage children to manage their allowance efficiently to be able to help prevent obesity in students at the junior secondary education level. The results from the research can be used to create a model for modifying dietary habits accordingly. The emphasis is placed on involving children in the selection of nutritious foods. Cooking substantial meals or snacks will help to develop healthy eating habits gradually. Add exercise in the form of sports games. In addition, teaching children to record their daily income and expenses for food and snacks will help them use their daily money to their full potential and build habits and values.

Cardiac rehabilitation for children and young people (CardioActive): protocol for a single-blind randomised feasibility and acceptability study of a centre-based cardiac rehabilitation programme versus usual care in 11–16 years with heart conditions

BackgroundCongenital heart conditions are among the most common non-communicable diseases in children and young people (CYP), affecting 13.9 million CYP globally. While survival rates are increasing, support for young people...

Environmental microbiome in the home and daycare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and potential risk of non-communicable disease in children.

An exposure to diverse microbial population early in life is important for the development of immunity against various non-communicable diseases including asthma, childhood leukaemia and other cancers. Social mixing in daycare settings helps with exposure to a variety of microbes. However, social isolation and a high emphasis on workplace hygiene during the COVID pandemic may have affected children's exposure to diverse microbiota. The structure of microbial communities and their role in developing immunity to various diseases are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the structure of microbial communities in daycare and home settings during the pandemic. Interestingly, microbial diversity was relatively higher in dust samples collected from homes, with human-associated taxa being more prevalent compared to those from daycare settings. Environmental microbes were more abundant in dust samples from daycare providers. These results potentially suggest that cleaning practices during the pandemic may have influenced the diversity and microbial abundance of the daycare samples. Several bacterial taxa detected in both the environments are known to induce anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, conferring protection from various diseases. Therefore, exposure to diverse microbial population in early childhood may play an important role in developing immunity against various non-communicable and infectious diseases.

Changes in eating behaviours and physical activity among primary schoolchildren aged 7-12 during the pandemic in the light of qualitative and quantitative research - Junior-Edu-Żywienie (JEŻ) Project.

The COVID-19 pandemic had many direct and indirect effects, including lifestyle changes in all subpopulations, including children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to identify: 1) attitudes of students aged 7-12 years and their parents towards food, nutrition, and physical activity; 2) changes in the consumption of basic food products during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative survey was conducted among students and their parents using the Focus Group Interview method, as well as quantitative research among parents and schoolchildren aged 10-12 years. During the pandemic, changes were demonstrated in the eating habits of primary schoolchildren which were both positive and negative. Positive changes include a greater number of meals and their regularity, especially in relation to meals prepared at home, and a greater consumption of mainly fruit, and to a lesser extent vegetables and whole grain products. Among the negative changes observed were an increased consumption of salty snacks and sweets, including those prepared at home. Moreover, limiting physical activity during isolation may have resulted, as a long-term effect, in excessive body weight and obesity-related non-communicable diseases in children and adolescence, and later in adulthood. There is a need to develop post-pandemic support strategies addressed to both schoolchildren and their parents regarding adequate eating behaviours and physical activity.

The mediating role of social support in promoting physical activity among children in South Africa

Background: Low physical activity (PA) participation levels and increasing non-communicable diseases in children are concerning in South Africa and globally.Objectives: We sought to assess the mediating role of perceived social support factors on the relationship between PA enjoyment and PA levels among rural, peri-urban and urban school children.Method: A cross-sectional study was adopted to assess peer, family and teacher encouragement as mediators on the relationship between perceived PA enjoyment and perceived physical activity participation among children, using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The sample comprised a random sample of primary school learners aged 9–14 years.Results: The sample consisted of 870 primary school learners with a mean age of 11.0 ± 1.49 years. Most participants were girls (n = 519; 59.7%). The findings suggest low levels of perceived PA participation (mean = 2.33, standard deviation [s.d.]: 0.43). Peer (β = 0.0187, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0088, 0.0307), family (β = 0.0280, 95% CI: 0.0155, 0.0425) and teacher (β = 0.0242, 95% CI: 0.0127, 0.0378) encouragement partially mediates the relationship between perceived PA enjoyment and perceived PA participation. Family encouragement (β = 0.0158, 95% CI: 0.0017, 0.0311) has the most considerable mediating effect, followed by teacher encouragement (β = 0.0125, 95% CI: 0.0010, 0.0269).Conclusion: The findings demonstrated low levels of perceived PA participation in school learners. Therefore, we recommends including social factors as mediators in PA intervention programmes in primary schools.Clinical implications: Social support factors as mediators on the relationship between PA enjoyment and PA participation among children may improve children’s PA participation levels and help prevent non-communicable diseases in future.

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЙ ПРИЕМ ОЦЕНКИ ВКЛАДА ФАКТОРОВ СРЕДЫ В ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ ДИНАМИКИ МАССОВЫХ НЕИНФЕКЦИОННЫХ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЙ ДЕТЕЙ

The main provisions of the methodological approach to assessing the contribution of local, general regional factors and their changes in the formation of the incidence of mass non-communicable diseases in children in dynamics in the industrial and background (non-industrial) territories of the Irkutsk region are presented

Priorities in tackling non-communicable diseases in children and adolescents in China

China was one of the top ten fast-track countries towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 by 2015, and has since made substantial progress in child and adolescent health. 1 Qiao J Wang Y Li X et al. A Lancet Commission on 70 years of women's reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health in China. Lancet. 2021; 397: 2497-2536 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar Over the past decades, the country has undergone an epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) has estimated that disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by NCDs among children and adolescents aged 0–19 years in China exceeded 13 million in 2019, accounting for 50·30% of all-cause DALYs among children and adolescents aged 0–19 years in China. This loss of healthy life-years necessitates a more effective and equitable approach that is responsive to the country's increasing NCD burden. To address this enormous challenge, prevention and timely diagnosis of, and early intervention for, NCDs should be a prominent focus of paediatric health services in China. Given the long-term burden of NCDs, such a focus is crucial in achieving progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), WHO's Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016–2030), and Healthy China 2030. 2 WHOThe Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016–2030): survive, thrive, transform. https://www.everywomaneverychild.org/global-strategy/#Date: September, 2015 Date accessed: August 26, 2020 Google Scholar , 3 The State Council of the People's Republic of ChinaHealthy China 2030. http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2016-10/25/content_5124174.htmDate: October, 2016 Date accessed: November 13, 2022 Google Scholar

Social Impact Bonds as a Tool for Healthcare Response to Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases

Background: In the situation of economic instability, when the problem of financing welfare and other social and healthcare services is aggravated, the importance of raising funds and attracting business investors becomes particularly urgent. Results of recent studies show that a synergistic effect can be achieved by introducing a social impact bond model in collaboration of external investors and health authorities. Projects aimed at improving children’s health in order to prevent subsequent costs in healthcare have been increasingly developed and proposed recently. Objective: To substantiate and develop a social impact bond aimed at preventing chronic noncommunicable diseases in children based on past experience. Materials and methods: We reviewed the content of regulations on the development and implementation of social impact bonds in the Russian Federation and examined the system of providing preventive health services for the child population, including overweight and obese children. Results: We have found that a regulatory framework for testing social impact bonds (SIB) has been already established in the Russian Federation and ten SIBs were implemented in seven constituent entities of the country in 2022. Due to a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in the Sverdlovsk Region and limited opportunities of implementing comprehensive, long-term preventive programs, a SIB for prevention of obesity in children aged 6 to 9 years living in the Sverdlovsk Region has been developed. The regulatory framework for the implementation of the project has been formed, the project passport approved, the targets of the social outcome set, the project implementation mechanism developed, and the participants identified. Conclusion: The ultimate goal of social impact bonds is not so much the solution of a specific local task, but elaboration of new techniques and mechanisms for their implementation through testing, enabling replication of successful models at the municipal and regional levels, and obtaining an overall cumulative effect from sustainable positive changes.

Ultra-processed foods consumption and diet quality among preschool children and women of reproductive age from Argentina.

To assess the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and diet quality among preschool children and women of reproductive age from Argentina. Cross-sectional and nationally representative survey. The food items were classified according to the NOVA system. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains was estimated, and the energy and nutrients related to non-communicable disease (NCD) intake. Linear regression was used to assess the associations. Argentina. Children aged 2-5 years (n 7022), female adolescent aged 10-19 years (n 2165) and women aged 20-49 years (n 4414). UPF represented more than a quarter of total energy intake, 27 % in children, 31 % in female adolescents and 26 % in women. Across all age groups, the major contributors to UPF consumption were cookies and pastries (about 6·0-7·0 %), soft drinks (about 2·7-3·7 %), candies (about 1·8-4·6 %), and juices (about 1·3-1·7 %). The consumption of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and legumes was negatively associated with UPF consumption. A significant positive association was found between the dietary share of UPF and the dietary content of NCD-promoting nutrients such as free sugars and total saturated and trans-fats. In contrast, a significant negative association was found with the content of NCD-protective such as fibre and protein. UPF were associated with lower consumption of healthy foods and higher intake of nutrients related to NCD in children and women of reproductive age in Argentina. It is necessary to design food policies that simultaneously reduce the consumption of UPF while promoting the intake of fresh and whole foods to improve the dietary quality.

Cook like a Boss Online: an adapted intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic that effectively improved children's perceived cooking competence, movement competence and wellbeing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated physical inactivity, poor dietary intake and reduced mental wellbeing, contributing factors to non-communicable diseases in children. Cooking interventions are proposed as having a positive influence on children's diet quality. Motor skills have been highlighted as essential for performance of cooking skills, and this movement may contribute to wellbeing. Additionally, perceived competence is a motivator for behaviour performance and thus important for understanding intervention effectiveness. Therefore, this research aimed to assess the effectiveness of an adapted virtual theory-based cooking intervention on perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing. The effective theory-driven and co-created 'Cook Like A Boss' was adapted to a virtual five day camp-styled intervention, with 248 children across the island of Ireland participating during the pandemic. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing using validated measurements were completed through online surveys. Bivariate Correlations, paired samples t-tests and Hierarchical multiple regression modelling was conducted using SPSS to understand the relationships between the variables and the effect of the intervention. 210 participants had matched survey data and were included in analysis. Significant positive correlations were shown between perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing (P < 0.05). Children's perceived cooking competence (P < 0.001, medium to large effect size), perceived movement competence (P < 0.001, small to medium effect size) and wellbeing (P = 0.013, small effect size) all significantly increased from pre to post intervention. For the Hierarchical regression, the final model explained 57% of the total variance in participants' post-intervention perceived cooking competence. Each model explained a significant amount of variance (P < 0.05). Pre-intervention perceived cooking competence, wellbeing, age and perceived movement competence were significant predictors for post-intervention perceived cooking competence in the final model. The 'Cook Like A Boss' Online intervention was an adapted virtual outreach intervention. It provides initial evidence for the associations between perceived cooking competence, perceived movement and wellbeing as well as being effective in their improvement. This research shows the potential for cooking to be used as a mechanism for targeting improvements in not only diet quality but also movement and wellbeing. NCT05395234. Retrospectively registered on 26th May 2022.

What are health professionals' perceptions and attitudes regarding children with early childhood caries and their families? A qualitative research protocol to assess oral health stigma in the medical setting.

Dental caries is one of the most common non-communicable diseases in children. The disease management of caries relies on both a preventive individual approach (fluoridation, risk evaluation) and the surgical treatment of established carious lesions. Similar to other non-communicable diseases (obesity, mental diseases, etc), health professionals' negative perceptions of patients have been shown to affect the quality of disease management. Regarding dental caries in children, some data have indicated the presence of discriminating beliefs and behaviours towards these children and their families in the medical setting. However, oral health stigma related to dental care remains a largely unexplored issue. This study presents an exploratory research protocol focusing on the perceptions and attitudes of health professionals towards children with early childhood caries (ECC) and their parents. Semistructured interviews will be conducted among medical and dental health professionals, and verbatim quotations obtained from audio transcriptions will be analysed to identify health professionals' perceptions of ECC and the influence of these perceptions on clinical care for these children. The research ethics committee of the Department of Family Medicine at University Lyon 1 approved this protocol. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. NCT05284279.

The reality of managing asthma in sub-Saharan Africa – Priorities and strategies for improving care

Asthma is the most common non-communicable disease in children and remains one of the most common throughout the life course. The great majority of the burden of this disease is seen in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), which have disproportionately high asthma-related mortality relative to asthma prevalence. This is particularly true for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Although inhaled asthma treatments (particularly those containing inhaled corticosteroids) markedly reduce asthma morbidity and mortality, a substantial proportion of the children, adolescents, and adults with asthma in LMICs do not get to benefit from these, due to poor availability and affordability. In this review, we consider the reality faced by clinicians managing asthma in the primary and secondary care in sub-Saharan Africa and suggest how we might go about making diagnosis and treatment decisions in a range of resource-constrained scenarios. We also provide recommendations for research and policy, to help bridge the gap between current practice in sub-Saharan Africa and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) recommended diagnostic processes and treatment for children, adolescents, and adults with asthma.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Remote Consultations in Children: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Telemedicine is becoming a standard method of consultation, and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased its need. Telemedicine is suitable for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the pediatric population, as these are chronic conditions that affect many children worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze the bibliometric parameters of publications on the use of telemedicine for the most common NCDs in children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the electronic search, 585 records were selected. “Metabolic diseases” was the most frequent topic before and after the pandemic, accounting for 34.76% in 2017–2019 and 33.97% in 2020–2022. The average IF of the journals from which records were retrieved was 5.46 ± 4.62 before and 4.58 ± 2.82 after the pandemic, with no significant variation. The number of citations per reference averaged 14.71 ± 17.16 in 2017–2019 (95% CI: 12.07; 17.36) and 5.54 ± 13.71 in 2020–2022 (95% CI: 4.23; 6.86). Asthma, metabolic diseases, and neurodevelopmental disorders were the most explored topics. A relevant finding concerns the increasing number of observational studies after the pandemic, with a reduction of the interventional studies. The latter type of study should be recommended as it can increase the evaluation of new strategies for the management of NCDs.

BURDEN OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AMONG CHILDREN IN MOROCCO

Noncommunicable diseases remain important public health problems worldwide, accounting for significant mortality and morbidity. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. According to WHO (2018), Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, accounting for 71% of deaths worldwide. It predicts that the rapid growth of NCDs will impede poverty reduction initiatives in low-income countries, particularly due to rising out-of-pocket health expenditures.In Morocco, the situation is also problematic. The epidemiological and demographic transition is reflected in an increase in the burden of disease and mortality of NCDs in children 0- 18 years, particularly cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and chronic renal failure. At the level of the Marrakech-Safi Region, the total number of diabetic children reached 1519 cases in 2019 of which 162 new cases and 1357 old cases, with a predominance (55%) at the level of the city of Marrakech. For children with hypertension, they represent 749 cases in 2019 including 25 new cases and 724 old cases. As for respiratory infections, the number of cases of acute viral bronchiolitis declared at the level of the region during the autumn-winter period 2019-2020 has reached 8404 cases. Finally, for children suffering from chronic renal failure a total number of 35 children are currently under care at the level of public hemodialysis centers, including 21 children hemodialysis, 12 under peritoneal dialysis and 02 kidney transplanted. The objective of this article is to describe the burden of morbidity and mortality related to non-communicable diseases in the Marrakech-Safi region.

Non-Communicable Disease In Children In Ghana: Health And Social Burden Of Care On Households

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are on the increase among children. This paper determines the health and social burden of care imposed on households by NCDs among children in Ghana.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in three hospitals in Ghana, Ashanti, Greater Accra and Volta Regions. Interviewer administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analyzed by proportions, ratios and chi square forassociation between categorical outcome measures (at 95% confidence level) using SPSS version 21.Discusion: Burden of caregiving for children with NCDs rested heavily on women (169; 75.1%) and immediate family (176; 78.3%). Managing child’s condition was expensive and created financial difficulties for households. In all 87.4% of households depended on the national health insurance scheme (NHIS) and 45.8% indicated NCDs in children was a burden. In addition, 47% of the caregivers said life was much better before they found out about child’s ailment. Families had no financial support from extended families or communities/employers. Despite enormous challenges faced by households, there was no indication families suffered isolation ordiscrimination.&#x0D; Conclusion: National Health Insurance coverage of NCDs especially childhood cancers will reduce the burden of care on households. Improving access to care at regional/district levels for children with NCDs is imperative.

Asthma management in low and middle income countries: case for change.

Asthma is the most common noncommunicable disease in children, and among the most common in adults. The great majority of people with asthma live in low and middle income countries (LMICs), which have disproportionately high asthma-related morbidity and mortality. Essential inhaled medications, particularly those containing inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), are often unavailable or unaffordable, and this explains much of the global burden of preventable asthma morbidity and mortality. Guidelines developed for LMICs are generally based on the outdated assumption that patients with asthma symptoms <1–3 times per week do not need (or benefit from) ICS. Even when ICS are prescribed, many patients manage their asthma with oral or inhaled short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) alone, owing to issues of availability and affordability. A single ICS–formoterol inhaler-based approach to asthma management for all severities of asthma, from mild to severe, starting at diagnosis, might overcome SABA overuse/over-reliance and reduce the burden of symptoms and severe exacerbations. However, ICS–formoterol inhalers are currently very poorly available or unaffordable in LMICs. There is a pressing need for pragmatic clinical trial evidence of the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this and other strategies to improve asthma care in these countries. The global health inequality in asthma care that deprives so many children, adolescents and adults of healthy lives and puts them at increased risk of death, despite the availability of highly effective therapeutic approaches, is unacceptable. A World Health Assembly Resolution on universal access to affordable and effective asthma care is needed to focus attention and investment on addressing this need.

Primary Prevention of Pediatric Asthma through Nutritional Interventions.

Asthma is the most common chronic non-communicable disease in children, the pathogenesis of which involves several factors. The increasing burden of asthma worldwide has emphasized the need to identify the modifiable factors associated with the development of the disease. Recent research has focused on the relationship between dietary factors during the first 1000 days of life (including pregnancy)—when the immune system is particularly vulnerable to exogenous interferences—and allergic outcomes in children. Specific nutrients have been analyzed as potential targets for the prevention of childhood wheeze and asthma. Recent randomized controlled trials show that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy, using higher doses than currently recommended, may be protective against early childhood wheezing but not school-age asthma. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy and infancy may be associated with a reduced risk of childhood wheeze, although the evidence is conflicting. Data from observational studies suggest that some dietary patterns during pregnancy and infancy might also influence the risk of childhood asthma. However, the quality of the available evidence is insufficient to allow recommendations regarding dietary changes for the prevention of pediatric asthma. This review outlines the available high-quality evidence on the role of prenatal and perinatal nutritional interventions for the primary prevention of asthma in children and attempts to address unmet areas for future research in pediatric asthma prevention.

The use of consent forms in a "call from class" model of dental care for Australian Indigenous children.

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases in children. Indigenous children reported a disproportionately higher prevalence of dental disease compared to their age-matched counterparts. To improve access to dental care a community-controlled service provides culturally appropriate dental services on the site of an Indigenous primary and secondary school. The dental clinic utilises a "call from class" model of care. Consent forms seeking permission to undertake a dental examination without a parent/guardian present during school hours are sent home. When the forms are returned, the student is located in class and a dental examination is undertaken. A retrospective audit of dental records from 2019 and 2020 were undertaken. The number of consent forms sent and returned were recorded. In 2019, 87% (n=220) of the school population were sent consent forms. Of the forms issued, 70% (n=154) were returned. Almost all students required further treatment (90%, n=137) and were sent a treatment consent form. Of the total student population, 67% (n=171) were not seen or had outstanding treatment from unreturned forms. Proportions of incomplete treatment and unseen students were similar in 2020 (64%, n=173). In this model, barriers are lessened by providing a free dental service on the school site. Consent is an ethical and legal necessity to undertake dental examination and treatment. Using physical forms were effective for gaining consent for most children. However, less than half of the school population's dental treatment was completed. Future studies should be conducted to explore the acceptability of using consent forms by parents/guardians and different models to gain consent for children from complex social circumstances.

An eleven-year review of pediatric echocardiogram reports in Kumasi, Ghana

Background Pediatric heart diseases (PHDs), comprising congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and acquired heart diseases (AHDs) are significant contributors to non-communicable diseases in children. CHDs alone occur in 0.8-1.0% live births globally. Data on echocardiogram diagnosed PHDs in Ghana however is lacking. We set out to describe the echocardiogram diagnosed prevalence of the various PHDs, their age profile and change in trends over an eleven-year period in children less than sixteen years seen in Kumasi.&#x0D; MethodsWe retrieved archived first echocardiogram scan reports from January 2010 through December 2020, and extracted the diagnosis, scan date and sex of the patients. PHDs were categorized into CHDs and AHDs and proportions of the top five reported respectively. Observed trends in proportion of types of PHDs and age at first diagnosis were computed. Data was collected using Microsoft® Excel and analyzed with R statistical software.&#x0D; ResultsPHDs were present in 49.9% (2474/4962) of the scans done with 51.5% (95%CI: 49.5-53.5) being males and 93.3% CHDs. The number of different diagnoses were 3344 as some of the patients had multiple diagnosis. Of these, the top five CHDs were Ventricular Septal Defect (699, 20.9%), Atrial Septal Defect (634, 19.0%), Patent Ductus Arteriosus (576, 17.2%), Tetralogy of Fallot (318, 9.5%) and Atrio-Ventricular Canal Defect (222, 6.6%). That for AHDs were Rheumatic Heart Disease (61, 1.8%), Dilated Cardiomyopathy (46, 1.4%), pericardial effusion (29, 0.9%), Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (26, 0.9%) and Infective Endocarditis (14, 0.4%). Proportion of various PHDs stayed constant over the years (p=0.129). The median (IQR) age in months for acyanotic CHDs (6, 1.5-18), cyanotic CHDs (15.0, 4.0-36.0) and AHDs (72.0, 19.0-120) were significantly different (p&lt;0.001). Age at diagnosis reduced by 0.46 months per year, (95%CI: 0.01 to 0.92, p=0.046) over the 11-year period.&#x0D; ConclusionPrevalence of CHDs and AHD are similar to other reports worldwide and has remained largely unchanged over the 11-year period. Age at first diagnosis however is reducing for all PHDs.