О здоровье своего чада родители без устали worried from morning till night. They are ready to purchase a variety of drugs, give the baby vitamin complexes and consult the most famous pediatricians, but still most of the moms and dads miss the first symptoms of rickets in infants and toddlers of older age. More often than not, it seems to parents that in our age of developed medicine this disease has long ceased to manifest itself. However, in fact, the signs and symptoms of rickets are found in every third baby, and in the world they suffer from up to sixty percent of children at different ages. It is noteworthy that even adults face manifestations of this disease, but in the vast majority of cases, children up to the age of one year are susceptible to rickets. If the problem is not given due attention, it will only get worse, and by three years it will leave consequences that can no longer be eliminated. From our article you will learn what are the symptoms of rickets in children under 3 years of age, as well as how to deal with this disease and what is its prevention.
Details about rickets
Virtually all parents have symptoms of ricketsperceived as belonging to the same disease. However, do not treat it that way. Pediatricians consider rickets to be a set of metabolic problems that prevent the absorption of calcium in the body. Therefore, it is quite natural that the initial symptoms of rickets are associated with the bone structure of the child. The cause of the disease is a lack of vitamin D, which allows you to synthesize and retain calcium in a healthy body, which is used to build and strengthen fast-growing bones.
In connection with the dynamics and characterization of the problem, pediatricians often call it “the disease of a growing organism”, because the more active the growth of the baby is, the more likely it is that it will face rickets.
Experts know that the disease develops veryslowly and unfortunately often goes unnoticed even for the most attentive moms and dads. But if you look through the first symptoms of rickets (we give the photo of problem children in the article a bit later), then many changes will become irreversible and it will be almost impossible to return the baby to a healthy life. After all, the crumbs will affect the nervous and endocrine systems, many internal organs and the musculoskeletal system. But early diagnosis of the disease gives almost one hundred percent guarantee for a complete cure. And while this does not have to put a titanic effort.
It is noteworthy that for the first time the problems of rickets weredescribed in England in the seventeenth century. Then the main symptoms of rickets was considered only the curvature of the spine, which resulted in the formation of a characteristic hump. In the future, the disease was studied in more detail and revealed its other symptoms, as well as signs and methods of treatment.
Risk groups
Not every kid can get rickets, sopediatricians identify risk groups, the children of whom have higher chances to face this problem. First of all, premature babies are included here. They are distinguished by low weight and most often their body is weakened, which ultimately in many cases does not make the calcium obtained with food easily digestible.
Also at risk of getting ricketsformula-fed babies. The fact is that babies who get breast milk are more protected. Together with food, all the necessary vitamins and minerals get into their bodies, but the “artificialisations” are not always lucky with the mixture. Unadapted mixtures can not provide crumbs with vitamin D and other useful substances at all.
If your baby was born during the cold season, thenhe too is at risk. After all, these kids almost do not receive the sun rays they need for the development, and walks in the fresh air are often impossible or very limited in time.
Even in the category we describe, children fallliving in adverse conditions. If they are not provided with proper care, then it is likely that the baby will get rickets, the initial symptoms of which may appear as early as the third week of life.
Causes of the disease
Not always at risk issynonymous with rickets, subject to certain rules, your baby has every chance of avoiding the disease. Therefore, it is worthwhile to carefully study the causes of the problem, which, by the way, are quite a lot.
Doctors include non-compliance with the daily regimen andinadequate exposure to fresh air. In the first month of life, under favorable weather conditions, the child can spend up to two and a half hours a day on the street. The first walk is limited to half an hour and in the future the time increases. In the summer, it will be useful to organize air baths for the baby, so he will receive the necessary amount of sun. But do not forget that the baby should in no case be in direct sunlight.
Do not slow down the movement of the newborn tightswaddling, it limits the motor capabilities of the baby and does not allow him to develop. As a result, the bones are constantly in one position, which, in turn, reduces the amount of calcium available to the skeleton.
Digestive disorders also lead tofirst symptoms of rickets at a very early age. These include frequent regurgitations, constipation, and diarrhea. In parallel, in this category, pediatricians include serious diseases of the digestive tract.
Quite often, children with rickets are prone to regular colds. Reduced immunity does not allow the metabolic processes in the body to go on as usual, which causes the symptoms of rickets.
If the baby is prescribed vasoconstrictormedicines, it is likely that you will have to deal with rickets. Drugs in this group are often the cause of its occurrence in infants up to a year or older.
Parents are always happy when the baby is fast.gaining weight. This is considered one of the characteristics of a normally developing child. But it should be borne in mind that a large body weight is a certain load on the bone skeleton and requires an increased calcium content in the body.
Symptoms of rickets
The causes of the disease we alreadylisted, but besides them, each parent must know exactly how it manifests itself in the initial stage. Pediatricians are advised to be very attentive to the crumbs at the end of the first month of life, in time to identify the problem and report their suspicions to the doctor.
Symptoms of the initial period of rickets are as follows:
- Decreased appetite. The newborn suddenly stops eating its usual portion of milk or mixture. At the same time, he gets tired much faster and the feeding time is significantly reduced.
- Causeless anxiety.Parents often notice that the crumb becomes very restless, reacts with a shudder to harsh sounds and light, frightens any strangers and constantly acts up, not allowing mom and dad to even get some rest. All of these symptoms may be the first bell, indicating rachitis.
- Problems with night and daytime sleep. If the baby has stopped sleeping well, often wakes up and at the same time shudders, crying loudly, then these are obvious symptoms of rickets in infants.
- Increased sweating.Often the disease manifests itself in this way. The baby sweats heavily even in cool weather, and an unpleasant sourish scent appears. Since the crumb is wet all the time, there is a high probability of diaper rash, which further increases the anxiety of the baby.
- Vysharkivanie hairs on the back of the head.Since the crumb becomes extremely nervous and constantly sweats, his hair, rubbing against the pillow, very quickly fall down and become an inaccurate form, very different from healthy.
- Появление проблем со стулом.If you do not change the daily diet of the newborn, but for some reason the baby began to suffer from constipation or, conversely, diarrhea, then you should consult with your doctor. Perhaps you have already started rickets.
Педиатры утверждают, что на данной стадии легче just beat the disease. If all recommendations are followed, it will pass without a trace and will not manifest itself in any way in the future. Otherwise, the problem will worsen.
Course of the disease
The first symptoms of rickets in newborns whowe have described, in the absence of treatment will be replenished with new and more severe. Their parents will not notice them quite difficult, because they manifest a clear developmental lag.
At the baby the muscle tone weakens, it ceasesto move actively, and to roll over and crawl begins much later than other babies. For example, the symptoms of rickets in children under 1 year may be expressed in the fact that they do not want to walk on their own and do not even attempt to do so. Such kids can go only to a half to two years.
There is also a softening of the bones of the skull, whichleads to a later closing of the fontanel and a change in the shape of the skull. It becomes flattened and elongated, and visible knobs appear in the frontal part.
In parallel, the child is constantly suffering from bloating, and digestive problems only multiply and worsen.
Severe Disease
If you look at the photo with the symptoms of rickets, thenit will become clear that the disease in a few years passes into a difficult stage. At this stage, the treatment will take sufficient time, and the delay will deprive the child of the chances for a normal and healthy life.
To such an extent can reach rickets by 3 years. Symptoms can be listed as follows:
- Serious deformities of the skeleton.The child has a curvature of the limbs, especially noticeable on the legs. The shape of the chest also changes, it becomes narrower with protruding bones. The pelvis also narrows, in some cases it is even difficult for children to move.
- Later teething.A child with severe rickets much later than his peers begins to eat solid food. This is due to the fact that his teeth erupt sometimes only by two or three years.
- The skull is finally deformed and in the future will no longer be able to take its original shape.
- Problems with the internal organs. Children with rickets constantly have difficulty breathing and tachycardia, and an enlarged liver does not do well with its basic functions.
Quite often symptoms of rickets at the height ofdiseases become complex to ordinary actions. For example, a child loses the ability to sit down without the help of an adult, and trying to walk and run can be completely forgotten for a long time.
Warning rickets
Any disease is easier to prevent than laterheal, and start doing it is necessary from the moment of pregnancy. In the process of carrying a baby, a woman should eat fully, without restricting herself to food. Some women are so afraid of gaining excess weight during pregnancy that they manage to stick to a diet for nine months. As a result, the expectant mother is deficient in vitamin D, which from her body must be ingested in the fetus. Nature is arranged so that it is precisely this way that the crumb can stock up on the necessary amount of vitamin. During pregnancy, he accumulates it and after birth begins to actively spend their supplies. If a woman has limited herself to food, then the baby will simply have nowhere to take the vitamin necessary for the prevention of rickets.
For the same reason, you can not neglect the fullration and nursing mothers. Breast milk is very valuable for the health of the crumbs product, as it contains everything he needs for development. Poor nutrition of the mother will not allow infants to receive such an important vitamin D.
В совокупность профилактических мер педиатры в mandatory include daily walks, massage, hardening and swimming. All these procedures strengthen the immunity of the newborn and prevent the disease rickets. However, not always, even with proper care, the disease can be avoided and in this case it is worth relying on its early diagnosis.
How to identify the disease?
If you suspect rickets, thenBe sure to share them with your pediatrician during your next visit. After talking with you, he will carefully examine the child and make a diagnosis, evaluating the characteristic signs of the disease. In some controversial cases, a number of laboratory tests are prescribed.
Most often, the baby will need to donate blood.A reduced content of phosphorus in it and, conversely, an increase in some other substances is a confirmation of the diagnosis. In Soviet times, doctors also prescribed a urine test. She gathered in a special way, but in recent years, this technique is practically not used.
It is possible to make an accurate diagnosis afterx-rays, but they are not always taken, since there is a danger of harming the baby’s health by such a study. If you are still assigned to take pictures, then do not refuse. On them it will be perfectly noticeable what tissue grows on the skeleton of the baby - bone or connective. The latter is in excess on the bones with rickets, this makes them grow incorrectly, makes them brittle and brittle.
The modern level of development of medicine allowsdetermine rickets and without x-ray examination. He is successfully replaced by computed tomography, on the apparatus, the doctor will be able to analyze the condition of the bones and make the correct diagnosis.
Treatment of the disease
If your baby was diagnosed with rickets, thenGet ready for comprehensive treatment. Only a combination of different procedures will help to defeat the disease, which in the early stages will not even leave any trace in the child's body.
At any stage of rickets, the pediatrician will prescribe vitamin D. Its dosage is selected individually, and the duration of administration is usually at least six months.
Gymnastics and massage are an important factor.cure. Moms and dads spend gymnastic minutes with babies, and crumbs from one to three years of age can do it themselves under their supervision. In general, physical activity is aimed at maintaining muscle tone and consists of simple exercises. The kid needs to squat, bend legs, jump, play with the ball and so on.
Massage is performed by both parents andby specialists. It will be enough for babies to stroke, rub, lightly tap and knead their limbs. Such simple actions increase blood flow, restore metabolism and strengthen the muscular skeleton. A child will have to hire a massage therapist for more than a year, he needs more complex manipulations, which it will be difficult for parents to reproduce on their own.
If the disease has already passed from the initial stage, then the pediatrician will add physiotherapy to the listed actions. It includes salt baths, electrophoresis and paraffin wraps.
How to protect crumbs from rickets?
We already wrote about the prevention of the disease a little higher, but nevertheless some aspects concerning nutrition were not covered. Therefore, we will consider them in this section.
In the risk groups listed at the beginning of the article,includes children who are breast-fed. But this does not mean at all that they will certainly face this problem. To reduce these risks to almost zero with good care, mothers should choose vitamin D fortified milk formulas. Today they are widely represented on the baby food market, so parents will not have problems with their choice.
But older children shouldeat well. Moms need to carefully think through the daily diet and make it as diverse as possible. A child under three years of age and older must receive different meat. This includes dishes from dietary and red meat (veal, chicken, turkey) in any performance. Eggs cannot be excluded from the diet, they should be given mainly in the form of omelet or boiled. Many parents avoid seafood and fish, considering them an allergen. But if you want to rid your baby of rickets, then these products are your best friends. It is recommended to fish steamed and choose fatty varieties. Dairy products are also extremely important, here you can put on the table everything that the baby loves. The yogurts, sour milk, milk, butter, cheeses and cottage cheese “work” equally well against rickets.
Conclusion
But all that we have said will be meaningless incases when the immediate cause of rickets has not been eliminated. Therefore, be sure to change the care of the baby, your and his nutrition, as well as the daily regimen. Only with this approach, after a few months of treatment, the situation will begin to change for the better, and your child will recover.
