[Profile of pediatric diseases and symptoms in Southern Greenland. Experiences of a consultant visiting in 1992]. / Paediatrisk sygdoms- og symptomprofil i Sydgrønland. Erfaringer fra konsulentbesøg i 1992.

During a scheduled visit to southern Greenland in 1992, the pediatric consultant registered signs and symptoms that had led to the children being brought for examination, and simultaneously registered the actual frequency of asthma, epilepsia and cerebral palsy. A total of 211 children or 8% of the background population under the age of fifteen were examined. The point prevalence of asthma was 1.1% which was considered to be an absolute minimum value due to selection of patients. The point of epilepsy was 0.6% and cerebral palsy 0.3%, a surprisingly high prevalence compared to prior investigations and actual patient selection. The consultant was met as well by a broad spectrum of pediatric problems, many of the social pediatric type. In conclusion, the importance of yearly visits is maintained along with a need of instruction of the local local health personnel. A systematic registration of cerebral palsy cases is required in order to implement necessary prophylactic intervention. Contact between the Greenlandic and the Danish health services could be intensified by the use of electronic media.