If you are looking for more information on rickets and vitamin D deficiency, you may find this article useful. There is a close connection between these two conditions, and each parent should be familiar with the most common risk factors, when it comes to both vitamin D deficiency and rickets.
Vitamin D deficiency is the primary cause of rickets. What is rickets? We can describe this condition as bone softening, which leads to deformities. These deformities can be extremely difficult to treat. Other contributing factors, beside vitamin D deficiency, include magnesium deficiency, and low levels of phosphorus and calcium in blood.
What Are the Symptoms of Rickets?
● Deformities of pelvis
● Low calcium levels
● Skeletal deformities
● Growth problems
● Deformities of spine
● Harrison’s groove
● Weak bones
● Muscle weakness
● Pain in bones
● Dental problems
● Soft skull
The symptoms may vary, depending on how young a child is.
How to Prevent Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency
Rickets is believed to affect infants and young children who live in poor countries, but several studies have proved that poverty is not the primary cause of low levels of vitamin D. Let us explain this. Poverty is usually related to malnutrition, and malnutrition can lead to vitamin D deficiency. This is only partially true.
Vitamin D is contained in certain animal-derived foods, but these amounts are certainly insufficient to fulfill a child’s daily requirements for vitamin D. Rickets are common in children who live in developed countries as well. Babies who exclusively feed on breast milk are at high risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D. This increases the risk of rickets. If you feed your baby with breast milk, this will be healthy for both of you, but keep in mind that breast milk does not contain sufficient quantities of vitamin D.
Talk to your doctor about including formula milk in your baby’s diet. This does not mean that formula should replace your breast milk. Learn how to combine these properly, and your baby will be healthy.
Rickets is caused by low levels of vitamin D; therefore, it is important to know how to prevent deficiency. If your child’s vitamin D levels are normal, he won’t be at risk of developing any bone-related problems.
Talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplements and sun exposure. If your baby is too young, you should be very careful when taking him out. Do not spend too much time in the sun, if it is too hot outside.
