Preventing Bone Ailment
Posted on October 15, 2008, under Health.
Rickets in a disease in children in which deficiency of vitamin D or calcium leads to softening of the bones, resulting in increased susceptibility to fractures and deformity.The predominant cause is a vitamin D deficiency, but it can also be caused by lack of adequate calcium in the diet.Vitamin D may be absorbed from food or produced by the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight.It is required for proper calcium absorption from the gut.
Malnourished children are especially predisposed.Inadequate exposure to sunlight may be another important predisposing factor.The dark skin of the Indian population makes them predisposed to Vitamin D deficiency.Breast-fed infants whose mothers are not exposed to sunlight and those consuming non fortified milk are also at higher risk.
Hypocalcemia leads to skeletal and dental deformities and neuromuscular symptoms, eg, hyper excitability.Symptoms of rickets include bone pain, dental problems, muscle weakness, increased tendency of fractures and bony deformities like bow legs, knock-knees, windswept knees and spinal deformities.The child may also have pigeon shaped chest, humps in the rib cage and an assigmetric or odd shaped skull.There may be growth disturbances and uncontrolled muscles spasms.
The diagnosis can be confirmed through blood tests and X-rays.Blood tests will reveal low levels of calcium and phosphorus.X-rays of affected bones or changes in the shape of the bones.
Prevention of rickets need a sufficient amount of exposure to sunlight and calcium and phosphorus in the diet.Infants who are exclusively breast-fed should receive daily supplements of Vitamin D from the age of two months until they start drinking at least 17 ounces of Vitamin D-fortified milk or formula a day.
Treatment involves Vitamin D and calcium supplementation along with increasing dietary intake of calcium, phosphates and Vitamin D.
