RICKETS: its causes AND treatment

Rickets

Rickets is a symptom of softening and weakening of a child's bones, usually due to an extreme and persistent vitamin D deficiency.

Causes

 Rickets can also be caused by:

•  Rare genetic problems. Vitamin D helps your child's body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food.

•  Lack of vitamin D makes it difficult to maintain adequate calcium and phosphorus levels in bones, which can lead to rickets.

•  People with rickets can have weak and soft bones, growth retardation, and in severe cases, bone deformities.

•  It is difficult for the body to maintain adequate levels of calcium and phosphate. When this happens, the body releases hormones that allow calcium and phosphate to be released from the bones. 

• The most common cause of rickets is a lack of vitamin D or calcium in a child's diet. Both are important for the development of healthy and healthy bones in children. 

• Lack of this mineral in bones makes bones weak and soft.

Age

 Most often, rickets occurs in children aged 6 to 36 months. As rickets is still on the rise, children are at greatest risk of developing rickets.

Sources of vitamin D include:

 Sunlight - When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it produces vitamin D. This is how we get most of the vitamin D.

See our article on other terms related to health and fitness 

History

 Rickets are rare in the United States. Rickets was more common, but by the 1940s, it was most often disappearing in developed countries with the advent of fortified foods such as vitamin D supplements.

 Rickets in old age is most common in children between the ages of 6 and 36. month. During this period, children usually grow rapidly. This is when the body requires most of the calcium and phosphate to strengthen and develop bones.

Diet

If you eat a vegetarian diet without fish, eggs or milk, your diet is at a higher risk of developing rickets. The risk is also high if you have problems digesting milk or are allergic to lactose (lactose).

Risk factors

Children in the islands of Africa, the Pacific and the Middle East are at greatest risk for rickets due to dark skin. Dark skin does not react to the sun as strongly as light skin, so it produces less vitamin D

Diagnosis

Your doctor can diagnose rickets with a physical examination. Press lightly to check for bone pain or tenderness. Your doctor may also order certain tests to diagnose rickets, for example:

• Blood tests to measure the elements like calcium and phosphate that are present in the blood.

• X-ray of bone to check for bone deformities.

Treatment

• Different supplements are used in this case like calcium and vitamin D supplements.

• It can vary depending on your child's height, so check with your doctor for the correct dosage. Too much vitamin D or calcium can be dangerous.

Prevention

The best way to prevent rickets is to eat a diet high in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. People with kidney disease should have their calcium and phosphate levels checked regularly by a doctor. Rickets can also be prevented with moderate exposure to sunlight.

             Written by:     Hadia khalid