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World J Clin Pediatr. Sep 9, 2026; 15(3): 118721
Published online Sep 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.118721
Association between consanguinity and neurological and developmental disorders in pediatric patients: A retrospective cohort study in Jazan, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah H Alhamoud, Nora E Granana, Mohammed F Bajahzer, Ali M Muthaffar, Mazin A Sabi, Asmaa A Aboelsoud, Reem H Harbi, Maram H Harbi, Abdu M Hawas
Abdullah H Alhamoud, Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Jazan General Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah H Alhamoud, Ali M Muthaffar, Mazin A Sabi, Department of Pediatric, King Fahad Central Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Nora E Granana, Asmaa A Aboelsoud, Abdu M Hawas, Department of Pediatric Neurology, King Fahad Central Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed F Bajahzer, Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Ministry of Education, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Reem H Harbi, Department of Medicine, King Fahad Central Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Maram H Harbi, Department of Emergency, Jazan General Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Alhamoud AH and Granana NE conceptualized the study; Alhamoud AH, Granana NE, Muthaffar AM, and Hawas AM developed the methodology; Aboelsoud AA, Harbi RH, Harbi MH, and Sabi MA collected the data; Bajahzer MF and Granana NE performed the formal analysis; Alhamoud AH and Granana NE supervised the study; Alhamoud AH and Muthaffar AM wrote the original draft; Alhamoud AH, Granana NE, and Muthaffar AM reviewed and edited the manuscript; all authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: Ethical approval was obtained from the Jazan Health Committee (Approval No. 23100; Date: 25/10/2023). The study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent/assent requirements were waived for this minimal-risk retrospective chart review per Institutional review board policy; patient data were anonymized and handled confidentially.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: De-identified data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to institutional and ethical restrictions.
Corresponding author: Abdullah H Alhamoud, MD, Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Jazan General Hospital, Jazan Health Cluster, Street 7, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia.
dr.alhamoud1990@gmail.com
Received: January 9, 2026
Revised: January 30, 2026
Accepted: April 7, 2026
Published online: September 9, 2026
Processing time: 204 Days and 12.5 Hours
BACKGROUND
Consanguineous marriage is common in Saudi Arabia and is associated with an increased risk of inherited disorders. However, its relationship with specific neurological and developmental outcomes in children remains incompletely characterized.
AIM
To examine the association between parental consanguinity and neurological and developmental disorders among pediatric patients in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia.
METHODS
This retrospective cohort study reviewed the medical records of children younger than 14 years who were diagnosed with non-acquired neurological or developmental disorders at King Fahad Central Hospital between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients were categorized according to parental consanguinity status (second cousins or closer vs non-consanguineous). Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared using χ2 or Fisher’s exact tests, with a significance threshold of P < 0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 105 children were included (mean age 6.26 ± 3.96 years; 63.8% male), of whom 59% had consanguineous parents. Epilepsy was the most prevalent diagnosis (76%), and developmental disorders were present in 69.5% of the children. Focal epilepsy was the most common epilepsy subtype, while global developmental delay/intellectual disability were the most frequent developmental disorders. Although minor differences were observed in the distribution of epilepsy types and developmental disorders between the consanguineous and non-consanguineous groups, these differences were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION
No clear association was identified between parental consanguinity and the distribution of epilepsy types or developmental disorders in this cohort. Although minor variations were observed between groups, they did not demonstrate statistically significant trends related to parental relatedness, likely reflecting individual variability and the limited sample size. Larger studies across broader populations are needed to further clarify potential associations.
Core Tip: Parental consanguinity remains common in Saudi Arabia and may contribute to the burden of pediatric neurological and developmental disorders. In this retrospective cohort study, children born to consanguineous parents as compared to those born to non-consanguineous ones showed slight discrepancies in the distribution of epilepsy types and developmental disorders; however, there was no clear evidence to support an association between consanguinity and these discrepancies. These findings, nonetheless, should not undermine the link between consanguinity and neurodevelopmental outcomes or the importance of early developmental screening and culturally sensitive genetic counseling in high-consanguinity regions.
