Symptoms of rickets: a dangerous disease can be prevented

The symptoms of rickets have been known since ancient times, as far back as 200 AD the Roman physician Galen conducted experiments on the normalization of bone condition by using cod fat. Over time, the disease described in more detail, the author of the works was an English doctor, orthopedic Gleason. The problem is based on a lack of vitamin D, which is involved in the assimilation of calcium by the body, the consequence is the curvature or weakness (pathology) of the bone apparatus. Let's look at some indicators that point to the problem.

Signs of rickets

Photos of patients suffering from a lack of vitamins, always produce a depressing impression. Depending on the level of lack of elements, the disease progresses. Here are the indicators that can indicate a problem.

Mild form of rickets

For her characters:

• Nervousness, anxiety and excitability of the child, which manifest themselves in weeping for no reason, bad sleep ;
• Some delays in growth;
• Delayed tightening of the fontanel, compliance of the bones of the skull;
• In children with mild form of the disease there is a flat occiput;
• Poorly grow teeth, brittle hair, slow psychomotor development and sweating.

Medium-severe form of rickets

The above signs for this stage are more pronounced, and there are other indicators:

• The head has an unusual shape;
• Deformation of the chest, bulging or incidence of the ribs;
• The thorax and stomach are separated by the Garrison's groove (groove);
• Frog stomach;
• Tremor of hands, increased fatigue;
• Deformation of the bones of the legs, which look like the letters "X" or "O";

Heavy form

In addition to the features listed above, there are:

• A pronounced lag, both in mental development and in the physical;
• The child has deformed parts of the body such as the chest, arms, skull, legs;
• The kid can not walk or sit without the help of an outsider;
• Problems with breathing, palpitation, liver is enlarged;
• Fragility of bones.

Symptoms of rickets

At first, the child simply becomes restless, his appetite, poor sleep, sweating, and often constipation are reduced. Such manifestations are noticed after 8 weeks of the baby's life. Further, if you do not take measures, the disease will begin to progress. That is, after 2-4 weeks of the initial stage, the symptoms of rickets become more pronounced. At this stage defects appear in the skeleton, which are found on the x-ray, then - change the size of internal organs; Change of the thorax, separation from the abdomen by a furrow. The flat cranial bones soften, the fontanelle does not overgrow, the back bends. In the absence of proper urgent treatment, everything will become much worse, up to the curvature of the legs and hands, delay in the growth of teeth. Muscles are susceptible to hypotension: children who have such symptoms of rickets, can pull their legs to the head and put a foot on their shoulders. At the last stage of the disease, the child lacks essential vitamins in the body, liver and heart do not work well, permanent lung inflammation is caused by deformation of the chest, which is why natural ventilation is impaired.

Consequences of rickets

If the disease is recognized at the initial stage, serious consequences can be avoided, and if negligence was manifested and the child has a serious form of the disease, the consequences will be disappointing:

• Violation of posture;
• Curvature of the legs, change in the shape of the skull, as a consequence - mental retardation;
• Changing the bones of the chest will lead to permanent lung diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, tuberculosis;
• For girls, rickets may mean problems with the birth of children, especially if the pelvic bones are changed;
• Frequent fractures of bones due to their weakness, weak physical activity;
• Development of anemia;
• Change in bite and decreased immunity.

Conclusion

Like any other disease, rickets must be treated immediately, without waiting for irreversible changes to occur.