Contents
What is rickets
Rickets in children is a background pathological condition caused by a lack of vitamin D in the body and characterized by a violation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism, bone formation and dysfunction of the nervous system and internal organs. Most often, rickets manifests itself in the form of developmental delay and bone deformities. Therefore, it is very important to take vitamin D in a timely and regular manner in a prophylactic dose, and also not to forget about walks in the sun and fresh air, so as not to encounter unpleasant symptoms.
Causes of rickets in children
What causes vitamin D deficiency in children? Experts usually name the following reasons:
- Lack of sunlight. The fact is that human skin produces vitamin D precisely under the influence of sunlight, but often parents neglect walking with a child, or the weather is constantly cloudy and rainy (especially in the northern regions, where summer is very short), so the sun’s rays are very rare. Some fear the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, which promotes the development of melanoma, and keep children away from sunlight.
- Unbalanced poor nutrition. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish, fish oil, egg yolks. Sometimes it can be found in vitamin supplements in juices or cereals. But if the child’s diet is meager and monotonous, he begins to lack many vitamins and minerals.
- Problems with the absorption of vitamin D. This can be either a congenital condition or a consequence of diseases such as celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, or inflammatory bowel disease. Some anticonvulsants and steroids can also impair the absorption of vitamin D.
Also, rickets is much more common in premature babies than in those who were born at term.
Symptoms of rickets in children
Usually rickets is detected from about 3-4 months of age, but the first symptoms may appear as early as 1,5 months. Parents note anxiety, fearfulness, irritability in their child. The kid loses his appetite and sleeps poorly, becomes whiny, often startles when falling asleep or loud sounds. Also, parents should be alerted by excessive sweating (sticky sweat with a sour smell) of the child and his baldness – the baby often rubs his head on the pillow, which causes bald spots on the back of the head. Muscle weakness is observed, the stomach becomes swollen, “frog-like”.
In the moderate and severe stages of the disease, rickets causes a serious deformation of the bones of the skeleton. In addition, symptoms such as:
- developmental delay;
- Late teething
- Late closure of the fontanel,
- Pain in the spine and limbs,
- muscle weakness,
- X-shaped (valgus) or O-shaped (varus) deformity of the legs,
- Thickening of the wrists and ankles,
- Deformities of the sternum – keeled (“chicken”) or funnel-shaped (“shoemaker’s chest”).
In the mild form (which is now the most common), the symptoms are not so pronounced.
– If you carefully examine any child of any age, you can find some deformations: slightly more pronounced frontal and parietal tubercles, a sloping nape, costal “rosary”, muscle hypotension. Bone changes with age are slightly smoothed out and in the future do not affect the growth and development of the child, his abilities, – notes pediatrician Yulia Berezhanskaya.
Treatment of rickets in children
Treatment and prevention of rickets is usually done by pediatricians. They prescribe pathogenetic therapy with vitamin D. In the presence of serious bone deformities, an orthopedist will need to be consulted, who can also prescribe treatment.
Diagnostics
– Diagnosis of rickets is carried out at the doctor’s office on the basis of complaints from parents and clinical manifestations on the part of the child. Parents note that the baby has restless sleep, increased sweating, and nervous excitability. On examination, the doctor notes a reduced tone, a slight lag in motor development, bone deformities (pronounced frontal and parietal tubercles, a sloping nape, costal “rosary”) – that is, all the symptoms look in the complex. Some are more pronounced, some less. As for laboratory studies, the previously very popular Sulkovich test (a urine test for calcium, according to the level of which the question was decided whether to diagnose rickets or not) is now recognized as absolutely ineffective and useless. So you don’t need to ask the doctor for a referral for analysis or do it yourself if you suddenly read about the need for it on the Internet.
If the child has any problems with poor sleep, lack of appetite or weight gain, allergies, frequent illnesses, but it is necessary to show the child to the pediatrician. He will carefully examine the baby, find out when he last took vitamin D and at what dose. ), and the price of the analysis is quite high, so that not every family can afford it,” says pediatrician Yulia Berezhanskaya.
Modern treatments
In the treatment of rickets in children, it is very important to observe a healthy lifestyle and regular walks in the fresh air (preferably twice a day), as often as possible in the sun (but not in the open sun). The child should sleep well and move more – exercises, physical exercises, active games, dancing, gymnastics – all this has a positive effect on the health and development of the baby. Some experts note the beneficial effect of coniferous-salt baths, which also have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, help to relax and sleep soundly.
Massage courses and gymnastics help to normalize the child’s muscle tone, improve blood circulation, develop joints, which is very useful for manifesting bone deformities. It is also very important to pay attention to the child’s diet: if the child is breastfed, then you should try to keep it as long as possible. An older child needs a rich and varied diet, where there will be vegetables, fruits, herbs, fish, and dairy products, as well as egg yolk and meat dishes.
– Rickets is a deficiency of vitamin D, although it has long been believed that this is not a vitamin, but a hormone that determines the work of the whole organism, many organs and systems. Therefore, treatment involves taking vitamin D at the dosage prescribed by the doctor, and then it is necessary to continue its prophylactic intake at an adequate dose of 1000-1500 IU. You can neither reduce nor overestimate the dosage, and the intake should be regular, without gaps, – the specialist notes.
Prevention of rickets in children at home
– Prevention of rickets in children includes a whole range of activities, where the intake of vitamin D is a key, but not the only point. Vitamin D is now recommended for everyone – from birth to old age. The prophylactic dose is given daily, in the morning, without interruption. By the way, earlier doctors recommended not to take vitamin D in the summer, but now such recommendations are no longer relevant.
Prevention of rickets in children necessarily includes a healthy lifestyle. These are regular walks with the child in the fresh air, and physical activity – massage, gymnastics, exercises, sports exercises (depending on the age of the child). Moreover, if we are talking about fresh air, then it is worth allocating at least 4-6 hours a day for walks, but not all parents have the opportunity to spend so much time with their child on the street. That is why, to one degree or another, manifestations of rickets can be found in any child. But do not worry about this – it will not affect the further development and abilities of the child, – explains pediatrician Yulia Berezhanskaya.