Rickets, also known as vitamin D deficiency rickets, is a chronic nutritional disease characterized by skeletal abnormalities caused by insufficient vitamin D and disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism in infants, children, and adolescents. How can we prevent rickets?
Causes of Rickets
Rickets is mainly caused by a deficiency of vitamin D in the body, leading to metabolic bone disease due to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism.
Rickets in infants is mainly caused by a lack of vitamin D. Infants who are breastfed or formula-fed, as well as toddlers who consume 400 milliliters of milk daily, generally do not lack calcium and do not need additional calcium supplements.
When the body has sufficient vitamin D, it promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus because bone development relies on these minerals. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Other hormones in the body, such as parathyroid hormone and calcitonin, actively participate in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The interaction between hormones maintains normal calcium and phosphorus metabolism and normal bone development.
Therefore, it is important to supplement vitamin D for the treatment of rickets in infants. Vitamin D can be obtained through sunlight exposure, dietary intake, and the use of vitamin D supplements.
Prevention of Rickets
Supplementing with cod liver oil and calcium is one effective method of preventing rickets.
From birth to 6 months of age, infants are in a physiologically deficient calcium period and need calcium supplementation regardless of symptoms.
However, calcium supplementation alone is not enough; it needs to be absorbed fully. Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption.
Vitamin D is found in small amounts in food, and infant diets are often monotonous, so only a small amount can be obtained from food.
Sunlight exposure can convert a substance in the skin into vitamin D, which is the safest way to supplement vitamin D and does not cause vitamin D toxicity.
It is important to note that sunlight exposure must be outdoors and not through glass, as ultraviolet rays cannot penetrate glass.
In addition, the incomplete gastrointestinal function of infants can also affect absorption, so it is recommended to supplement some beneficial intestinal bacteria while supplementing calcium.
Supplementing vitamin A and D (cod liver oil) can help increase calcium absorption. However, excess consumption of cod liver oil can lead to toxicity.
Acute toxicity of vitamin A and D can cause increased intracranial pressure, manifested as headaches, nausea, vomiting, irritability, mental fatigue, and bulging fontanelle, often mistaken for meningitis.
Chronic toxicity manifests as loss of appetite, fever, diarrhea, angular stomatitis, hair loss, itchy skin, anemia, and polyuria.
If any of the above symptoms occur, stop taking cod liver oil, reduce sunlight exposure, and seek immediate medical attention.
