Rickets in infants: symptoms of a dangerous disease

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Any mother wants her child to grow up healthy. That is why parental care must be combined with attention to the well-being of the baby.

Some diseases from infancy are able to "backfire" even in adulthood. This is rickets in infants, the symptoms of which should alert every parent.

The first signs of the disease

Most often, in children you can find a D-deficiency type of the disease, which is fraught in the future with a violation of the exchange of elements such as phosphorus and calcium. Crumbs at the age of 2-3 months, mostly fed with formula, are at risk.

What happens to these babies? Lack of vitamin D leads to the fact that at first the absorption of calcium in the intestine is disturbed, and at the next stage it simply ceases to be deposited in the bones. The end of such a problem is not only softening and thinning of the bones, in addition to them, the work of both the nervous system and internal organs worsens.

But signs of rickets in infants are not yet the time to make sad predictions.

Parents should pay attention to the following symptoms:

1. The baby's behavior changes. This is expressed in his sudden fearfulness, lethargy and frequent moodiness.
2. The child often sweats: this manifests itself in droplets on the face (especially when eating) and on the back of the head when he sleeps (the reason for a wet pillow). And sometimes there is a feeling that water is simply pouring from the baby - he is constantly wet.
3. Itching is an accompanying symptom. To get rid of it, the baby often starts rubbing its head. Eventually, this leads to the fact that hair begins to fall out at the back of the head.
4. One of the important indicators is a poorly overgrown fontanelle. It has stubborn edges.
5. The disease also manifests itself in the fact that teeth grow poorly (later they will be more susceptible to caries).

The consequences of rickets in babies

It is important not to miss the first signs of rickets in infants, otherwise in the near future you will have to face many difficulties. Growing up, such children have difficulty holding their heads (it is difficult to do this on their own). A crumb with a similar disease will not attempt to do something without the help of adults: it will be especially difficult for him to turn over from tummy to back and back.

The nervous state can be described in one word - constant stress. Sick children are more susceptible to diseases of the pulmonary tract (bronchitis and pneumonia). That is why parental attention and vigilant control are important: they will not allow you to miss when rickets manifests itself in infants.

Doctors distinguish three stages of a similar rickets occurring in infants.

Each of them causes certain harm to the baby's body:

1. Rickets of 1 degree in infants is noticeable only in minor deviations in nervous development. Constipation is not uncommon, because the muscles are also slightly behind in development. The good news: if you start to treat the disease in a timely manner, then later there will not even be a reminder of this fact.
2. The level of hemoglobin decreases, which threatens the development of anemia. The child's liver enlarges, the work of all internal organs is disrupted. Rickets of 2 degrees in infants are also suspected of enlarging the spleen. Often during this period there is a shift in the phases of sleep and wakefulness.
3. Changes become irreversible for all organs and systems of the body.

It is especially important to control the signs of the disease in the autumn-winter period, when the likelihood of the disease increases significantly due to the lack of sunlight (and, as a result, poor absorption of vitamin D by the body). But not always only weather conditions become provocateurs of the onset of the disease.

The reasons for the appearance of rickets in infants

There are many prerequisites for the development of such a disease.

In addition to the lack of vitamin D, the following signs can be distinguished:

1. The mother had a late birth, or, conversely, the child was born at a very early age.
2. There was a small gap between the two pregnancies, the mother's body simply “did not return to normal,” which means that there is no way to give the baby all the vitamins and minerals he needs.
3. Another provocateur from the pregnant period is the poor nutrition of the expectant mother.
4. Also, multiple pregnancies can be referred to as "pregnant" reasons.
5. The baby was born prematurely? It is necessary to immediately prepare for possible complications, because the fetus begins to intensively enrich itself with elements of phosphorus and calcium precisely in the last stages.
6. It is very important to monitor the correct and timely introduction of complementary foods. The composition of the food supplied to the child's body is also relevant - the presence of such elements as calcium and phosphorus is important here.
7. Rickets in infants can develop due to a violation of the absorption of the above elements. This happens due to imperfections in the digestive system.
8. Hereditary factor.

How to treat rickets in infants

If a baby is suspected of rickets, the doctor prescribes special studies, the results of which will be used to diagnose the disease. In a blood test, the content of calcium, alkaline phosphate and phosphorus itself will be considered. It is possible that an X-ray examination will also be needed.

All these methods will help in the question of how to determine rickets in babies. Be sure to pay attention to these symptoms. The further course of events depends on the prescribed treatment.

To treat this disease begins with meeting the needs for those elements that the body is not enough. The doctor may prescribe vitamin D, and along with it, the intake of calcium and phosphorus preparations.

Not everything is so simple: in such a disease as rickets in infants, treatment is individual, only a doctor should prescribe it (it concerns the duration of the course and the size of the useful dose).

There are other rules for taking: for example, the drug is given only in the first half of the day and with meals. Self-medication is fraught with overdose, which will worsen the condition of the cardiovascular system, create an increased load on the liver and kidneys, and also worsen the functioning of the gastrointestinal system.

Among other recommendations that the doctor will provide, there will be a recommendation to walk more (especially if it is sunny days outside), do special exercises and eat rationally.

Prevention of rickets in infants

To protect the baby from such an unpleasant and dangerous ailment, it is necessary to begin its prevention while waiting for the baby. The expectant mother should consume enough food containing vitamin D. Also during this period, pregnant women can be advised to drink fish oil. Prevention may include a course of ultraviolet radiation.

A competent mother was warned of how rickets manifests itself in infants, and therefore, on the recommendation of a pediatrician during active growth (from three months to three years), she will carry out preventive measures for the child's intake of vitamin D (for babies, it is better to use a water-based drug). Although one drop per day is considered the standard dose, the focus here is on the individual calculation of the dose by the doctor. Daily walks, special air baths and regular massages are very useful.

If the baby is breastfed, he should only receive specially adapted formulas. In the event that a son or daughter is breastfed, a woman should take special vitamin complexes. An important point - the baby must necessarily suck out both the front and rear milk (in case of refusal, drink the baby with a spoon).

Timely noticed the first symptoms of the disease and timely prophylaxis will protect the health of your child. Parental supervision of health will allow him to grow up strong, strong and happy.