How to treat rickets X-type legs?

Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
Updated on October 25, 2024
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If rickets presents with an X-shaped deformity, it generally indicates either an active phase of the disease or the residual phase. During this time, it is advisable to minimize the child's standing and walking at home. For lower limb deformities, muscle massages can be performed. For X-shaped legs, massage the inner muscle groups, followed by internal rotation exercises after massaging the double sliding joints. Typically, early treatment involves corrective rehabilitation techniques, and it is possible to visit a pediatric rehabilitation department for relevant manual treatments. If there is a significant skeletal deformity, surgical intervention may be necessary for correction.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
57sec home-news-image

How is rickets diagnosed?

Rickets is a chronic nutritional disease characterized by skeletal changes, resulting from insufficient Vitamin D in children, which leads to disruptions in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Diagnosis of rickets requires a measure of Vitamin D levels, clinical manifestations, certain biochemical markers in blood, and skeletal X-ray findings. Typically, Vitamin D levels are significantly lower than usual, with the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 being the most reliable diagnostic standard. However, many facilities are unable to perform this test, so some instead rely on blood biochemistry and skeletal X-rays. Currently, blood biochemistry and skeletal X-ray examinations are considered the gold standard for diagnosis.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Rickets and osteoporosis are caused by a lack of what?

Rickets and osteoporosis are both caused by a lack of vitamin D and calcium. Rickets is commonly seen in infants and can present with abnormalities in skeletal development such as "ping-pong ball head", signs of wrist and ankle bracelets, square skull, funnel chest, pigeon chest, X-shaped legs, and O-shaped legs. Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease caused by reduced bone formation and increased bone resorption. It can be categorized according to its etiology into senile osteoporosis, postmenopausal osteoporosis, idiopathic osteoporosis, and secondary osteoporosis. Clinically, it can manifest as fatigue, bone pain, and fractures.

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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.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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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.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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Rickets is a deficiency of what?

Rickets is caused by a deficiency of what? For rickets, its main gold standard for diagnosis is based on the results of blood biochemistry and skeletal X-ray examinations. Generally, the deficiency in rickets is mainly due to insufficient levels of vitamin D, which then leads to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Typically, this is characterized by low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the body, along with decreased levels of blood calcium and phosphorus, manifesting as deficiencies in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. However, in children, rickets could also be caused by other factors, such as abnormalities in liver or kidney function, or congenital hereditary diseases. Generally, further tests are needed to confirm rickets. If other special causes are ruled out, timely supplementation of vitamin D and appropriate exposure to sunlight, along with calcium supplementation, can effectively cure the disease.