Signs of rickets in infants

Rickets is one of the most common pathologies in infants. This disease in the modern world, unlike the last century, when she suffered most of the kids, most often suffer babies, which are born in negligent mothers. Warn it is fairly easy, but you need to systematically follow a series of recommendations. If the baby has had rickets at an early age, then he develops a number of characteristic bone deformities, which significantly spoil the appearance of the child, and subsequently - the adult person. Further, we will consider the characteristic signs of rickets in infants, as well as the treatment and prevention of this pathology.

Causes and symptoms of rickets in infants

The most common cause of rickets in infants is the lack of vitamin D in the body. As is known, in the human body there is an enzyme that, under the influence of sunlight, contributes to the production of this vitamin.

Lack of vitamin D leads to a violation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism, and already at the 2nd month of life, the first symptoms of this pathology may appear. Symptoms of calcium deficiency are manifested by disorders from the nervous and bone system.

The kid becomes irritable and whiny, does not sleep well. Thinning of bone tissue is noted, especially it is felt when you feel the edges of a large fontanel. If these signs are not given importance, then 5-6 months will already have an expanded picture of rickets in infants. Let us list how it manifests itself:

1. The most striking symptoms are manifested from the side of the bone system. Thus, rickets are characterized by further softening of the bone tissue around the large fontanel, flattening of the occiput, an increase in the frontal tubercles. When the baby begins to stand and walk, the lower extremities curve (O-shaped or X-shaped curvature) occurs.
2. Symptoms of the central nervous system develop: the child is capricious, shy, shudders from the slightest rustle, sluggish.
3. There is excessive sweating - the baby's head is almost all the time wet, especially after sleeping and during feeding.
4. The child is troubled by itching, because of what he rubs his head against the pillow, and at the point of rubbing his hair falls out.
5. The muscle tone is weakened, the muscles of the child are flabby (a symptom of the "frog's belly").
6. On the part of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation may be noted, which is difficult to treat, and sometimes jaundice (with liver damage).
7. The diagnosis of rickets can confirm a blood test in which a reduced phosphorus content and an increase in phosphatase activity are detected.

Prophylaxis and treatment of rickets in infants

Specific treatment of rickets is the appointment of large doses of vitamin D. The dose of vitamin is calculated based on the severity of the disease. For mild severity, 150,000 to 300,000 IU are prescribed, with moderate severity from 300,000 to 600,000 IU, and in severe cases from 600,000 to 800,000 IU.

The leading preventive measures include the following:

1. Daily walks in the fresh air. It is important that the sun's rays hit the baby's skin. In bad weather, you can walk with a child on the balcony and periodically bring it to the window.
2. Introduction to the diet of a child vitamin D in the preventive dose - 500 IU (1 drop of oily solution).
3. For children who are on artificial feeding, it is necessary to choose quality milk mixtures, with a rational balanced composition of vitamins and microelements.

As you can see, rickets are quite easy to prevent if you perform all simple preventive measures. And if the mother is lazy to get the baby to take a walk or drop a drop of vitamin D, then the child has problems. Formed bone deformities can not be corrected.