The main symptoms of rickets in children

For the first time the symptoms of rickets in a child were described in 1645 in the works of the English orthopedist Glisson, who devoted his medical practice to investigating the causes of the development of the disease. Since then, medicine has made significant progress, and already in 1920 the main cause of the development of the disease was identified - the lack of vitamin D. This element is a product of skin production under the action of ultraviolet rays. Vitamin is also found in food of animal origin, such as milk, cottage cheese, fish and meat, eggs. The main function of vitamin D is the regulation of the processes of assimilation by the body of calcium and phosphorus, which, in turn, promote proper growth and formation of bones. With a permanent deficit of this element, the bones become prone to fractures and deformations. These are the first symptoms of rickets in a child, to which you should pay close attention. After all, in the absence of treatment, kidneys and liver are affected. Do not forget about the role of vitamins A, B, C and minerals - calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, also necessary for the correct development of the baby.

The emergence of rickets is preceded by the following factors: a lack of vitamins in the nutrition of the expectant mother, an incorrect distribution of the waking and sleeping time of the infant, mixed and artificial feeding, a lack of ultraviolet rays. A large percentage of morbidity is recorded in premature babies.

The first signs of rickets in children are found at 2 or 3 months of life, they include:

• Increased sweating, in particular in the nape of the neck (sweat has a specific sour smell, itching is present);
• The child has fear, anxiety and excessive excitability (shudders as a reaction to a bright light or a sharp sound);
• Digestion disorders are possible .

3 weeks after the first signs, the main symptoms of rickets in the child appear, associated with changes in bone tissue: palpation of the skull can reveal the softness of the seams and the edges of the large fontanelle, there is a process of improper teething, there is deformation in the chest area (there are thickening on the ribs) And the curvature of the legs. During the height of the disease, which falls on the 6th or 7th month of the baby's life, along with bone changes, neuromuscular manifestations also appear: the muscle tone and joints decrease in muscle tone, the limb looseness develops and a flattened abdomen ("froggy") appears, Liver and spleen. On these grounds, you can accurately determine rickets in children.

Treatment should be long, complex, individual and aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease. The complex of measures includes: the organization of the correct regime of the day (to stay outdoors for at least 3 hours a day), proper nutrition (enrichment of the diet with vitamins and minerals), breathing exercises, water procedures, acceptable types of gymnastics, massages and medication (appointment oily Or an aqueous form of vitamin D).

In any case, having noticed the first symptoms of rickets in a child, do not engage in self-medication. At the first suspicions, immediately consult a doctor who will conduct an examination, make a blood test to confirm or deny the diagnosis, and, if necessary, prescribe an x-ray study. Remember that timely diagnosis and the appointment of the right treatment will not only allow the baby to be cured sooner, but also to a greater extent help to avoid further negative consequences.