What department should I go to for rickets?

Written by Li Jiao Yan

Neonatology

Updated on September 11, 2024

00:00

00:00

Rickets, fully known as nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets, is a chronic nutritional disease characterized by skeletal lesions in children caused by insufficient vitamin D leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. In the early stages of rickets, the main issues are disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and low levels of vitamin D. At this time, one can consult the endocrinology department to check the child's trace elements. If sequelae have already formed, such as obvious pigeon chest or developmental deformities of the lower limbs bones, then it would be appropriate to consult an orthopedic department for corrective treatment.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Li Jiao Yan

Neonatology

1min 37sec

home-news-image

What is the treatment method for rickets?

Rickets is primarily caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism in the body, which results in abnormal skeletal development—a type of systemic nutritional disease. The most common form is nutritional rickets due to a deficiency in nutrients and vitamin D. Treatment focuses on controlling the active phase to prevent relapse of deformities. Therefore, early detection and comprehensive treatment are crucial. The primary treatment method involves supplementing with vitamin D. The choice of vitamin D, the dosage, and the length of treatment generally need to be tailored to the specific circumstances of the child. Additionally, increased exposure to sunlight and appropriate outdoor activities should be encouraged to enhance the absorption of vitamin D. Children should also be supplemented with calcium and a variety of vitamins. Follow-ups during the recovery phase are necessary, and training in sitting, standing, and walking should not be started too early to avoid deformities in the lower limbs. Furthermore, no medication is needed during the residual stage of the disease. For mild to moderate cases, physical exercise should be intensified, and skeletal deformities can be corrected using active or passive exercises. Severe skeletal deformities may require surgical correction.

home-news-image

Written by Tong Peng

Pediatrics

1min 4sec

home-news-image

Does rickets cause dry skin and an absence of sweating?

Rickets does not cause dry skin or an absence of sweat. Rickets is a disorder of calcium and phosphorus metabolism caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, and it may also be associated with bone deformities. In infants, it often presents with neurological symptoms such as being easily startled during sleep, increased night sweats, and a variety of symptoms including bald patches on the back of the head. However, an absence of sweating is often a symptom of sweat gland disorders and is not necessarily related to rickets. In some cases, babies sweat less because their sweat glands are underdeveloped, so if a child with rickets has symptoms of dry skin, they are not particularly prominent. If rickets is confirmed, it is crucial to actively supplement vitamin D, spend more time in the sun, and engage in outdoor exercise to facilitate the body's natural synthesis of vitamin D. Severe cases require oral or injected high doses of vitamin D to prevent the condition from worsening and causing bone deformities.

home-news-image

Written by Li Jiao Yan

Neonatology

1min 25sec

home-news-image

Early symptoms of rickets

Rickets is a chronic systemic nutritional disease caused by insufficient vitamin D in the body, leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, characterized by skeletal lesions, typically presenting as incomplete mineralization of the long bones' growth plates and bone tissue. In the early stages of rickets, skeletal development abnormalities are not very obvious. Infants under three months often exhibit signs of increased neural excitability, such as being prone to crying, sweating easily, and potentially frequent head shaking; however, these symptoms are not necessarily specific to rickets. Generally, at this time, there are no obvious abnormalities in skeletal development, and X-rays of the bones are normal. The focus is on vitamin levels, specifically decreased serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, as well as reduced blood calcium and phosphorus levels. Therefore, early symptoms are not so typical. It is recommended that children regularly visit pediatric clinics for physical examinations to assess their development and, if necessary, undergo trace element and vitamin D level checks.

home-news-image

Written by Tong Peng

Pediatrics

55sec

home-news-image

Should I take vitamin D or D3 for rickets?

Rickets should be treated with D3, but strictly speaking, what we commonly refer to as vitamin D is D3, just phrased differently. Vitamin D3 helps promote the absorption of calcium by bones, preventing the occurrence of rickets symptoms. The main clinical manifestations of rickets appear in the deformation of bones, such as square skull, pigeon chest, flaring ribs, X-shaped legs, O-shaped legs, and other changes in bone status. The nervous system can show symptoms such as night sweats, nervous excitability, balding at the back of the head, poor sleep quality, and easiness to cry. For rickets, it is necessary to diagnose early, timely supplement with vitamin D to prevent symptoms from worsening, and also to get more sunlight and engage in outdoor activities, which helps the body synthesize vitamin D and absorb calcium.

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Xian Hua

Pediatrics

1min 8sec

home-news-image

Is pillow baldness rickets?

Balding at the back of the head is a common clinical manifestation of rickets, but it does not mean that balding at the back of the head is equivalent to rickets, as there are many causes for this condition. In children with rickets, due to a lack of vitamin D leading to calcium deficiency, their neural excitability increases, which can affect the baby's sleep and cause restless sleep leading to balding at the back of the head. However, children who are in poor nutritional condition might also experience deficiencies in trace elements, such as a lack of zinc or iron, which can also lead to sleep disturbances and balding at the back of the head, indicating that the cause may not necessarily be rickets. Additionally, a small number of children might have an inherent condition of increased neural excitability that affects sleep, leading to balding at the back of the head, which also isn't due to rickets. Therefore, if balding at the back of the head occurs, it is advisable to visit a hospital’s pediatric healthcare department or pediatric outpatient clinic for a consultation and check-up, to actively treat and manage based on the underlying cause.