Childhood and adolescence, vital in shaping adult life and society, are profoundly impacted during conflicts like Syria\'s devastating war. This study explores the prevalence of behavioral disorders in Syrian children and adolescents, examining the influence of war and family-related factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted on children aged 2-17 years at a children\'s outpatient clinic in Damascus, Syria. We assessed parents\' quality of life, war and family-related factors, and behavioral difficulties through parental interviews using two questionnaires: the Arabic version of the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the brief Arabic version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). 74.67% of children aged 2-4 years and 61.29% of children aged 5-17 years were experiencing behavioral difficulties, with emotional difficulties being the most prevalent ones. Children exposed to kidnapping, family losses, lack of school enrollment, and those with parents having lower education, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer quality of life exhibited higher Total SDQ scores. The high prevalence of behavioral difficulties among children and adolescents in Syria is a major concern, with both direct and indirect war-related factors contributing to this issue.

Despite the great steadfastness that Syria has achieved in the face of more than a decade of stifling crisis followed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the heavy impacts of these long rough years are certain and crucial on the health and nutrition levels, specially on vulnerable groups like women and children. Moreover, the lack of research and data on health and nutritional status of children within Syria makes it very difficult to draw conclusions and act effectively. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate growth development and give an insight about the public health awareness and nutritional practices among Syrian primary schools children.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among private and public primary schools\' students aged 6 to 9 years old in Homs governorate in January to April 2021, anthropometric measures were taken and data assessment of socioeconomic background, nutritional practices, and health awareness was achieved by conducting two surveys answered by parents and students.
We defined the total prevalence of obesity (11.8%), underweight (5.6%) and stunting (13.8%), with a significant increased in underweight and stunting prevalence ,(9%, 21.6%) respectively, among public schools\' students compared to private schools\' students. Differences in nutritional practices and health awareness were recorded between public and private schools\' students under socioeconomic impact.
This study contributes to evaluate the burden of crisis and COVID-19 pandemic on Syrian children growth and health practices in Syria. Improving health awareness and nutritional support among Syrian families to help children meet their growth needs is recommended. Moreover, additional research should be conducted to evaluate micro-nutrients deficiencies and provide appropriate medical support effectively.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the medical and surgical treatment outcomes of Syrian civil war pediatric casualties admitted to our tertiary medical center in northern Israel and compare them to reports of pediatric war victims in Iraq and Afghanistan.
METHODS: 117 pediatric casualties up to age 18 (median age: 12 years, 91 males) were admitted from 2013 to 2016. We measured demographics, injury mechanism, wound type, injury severity, surgical interventions, morbidity, and mortality.
RESULTS: Injury mechanisms were penetrating injuries (n = 87, 74%), blunt (n = 34, 29%) and blast (n = 13, 11%) injuries, caused by fragments (56, 48%), blasts (51, 44%), and gunshot wounds (24, 21%). Most common injuries were head trauma (n = 66, 56%) and lower extremities injury (n = 45, 38%). 51 children (44%) had Injury Severity Score > 25. Surgical procedures, most commonly orthopedic (n = 35) and neurosurgical (n = 27), were performed on 81 children (69%). Average number of procedures per patient was 2 ± 2.5; average hospitalization time was 25.8 days. Mortality rate was 3.4% (four children). Injury characteristics were different from those reported for pediatric war casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
CONCLUSIONS: Head trauma was associated with serious injury and mortality; most injuries were penetrating and complex. Collaboration of various hospital departments was often necessary for efficient and successful treatment.
UNASSIGNED: Retrospective comparison study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cephalometric craniofacial parameters (skeletal and dental) of β-thalassemic-major patients and to compare findings with a group of healthy patients in the same age group.
METHODS: Fifty-one Syrian thalassemic-major patients aged 8-12 years were recruited. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken. Linear and angular cephalometric measurements were recorded and compared with Syrian controls (n=50) in the same age group.
RESULTS: Thalassemic patients, when compared with controls, showed significant retrognathia in the mandible (reduced sella [mid-point of sella turcica]-nasion [most anterior point on the frontonasal suture] B-point [deepest point on the concavity of the mandibular profile between the alveolar crest and the point of the chin] angle, and decreased sella-nasion-pogonion [most anterior point on the bony chin] angle, P<0.0001), a significant decrease in ramus height (articulare-gonian=36.51 ± 3.87 mm, P<0.0001). They also exhibited a significant class II skeletal pattern (P<0.0001) and a convex facial profile as the nasion A-point (deepest point on maxillary profile between the anterior nasal spine and the alveolar crest) pogonion angle and maxillomandibular A-point-nasion P-point angle increased. They also showed a highly-significant decrease in the total posterior facial height (sella gonion [most posterior, inferior point on the angle of the mandible]=64.24 ± 5.73 mm, P<0.0001) and significant increase in the total anterior facial height (N-Me = 110.78 ± 6.66 mm, P=0.009) when compared to controls.
CONCLUSIONS: Thalassemic patients exhibited a skeletal class II malocclusion, retrognathia of the mandible, a short height of the ramus, an increase in anterior facial height, and a decrease in posterior facial height.