How is rickets diagnosed?

The main cause of rickets is calcium deficiency, and lack of vitamin D is an important cause of calcium deficiency. Therefore, if the disease can be discovered in time, good treatment can be obtained. There are many ways to check for rickets. First of all, parents should find out about it in daily life. Once similar symptoms appear, they should go to the hospital for examination in time. The hospital can conduct X-ray examination and laboratory examination.

How to detect rickets

Rickets, commonly known as calcium deficiency, is more common in infancy. The main cause of the disease is a lack of vitamin D in the body. It is a bone matrix calcification disorder that can cause calcium and phosphorus metabolism disorders in the body, resulting in poor bone calcification. Insufficient ultraviolet radiation, insufficient calcium and phosphorus content or improper ratio in food, rapid growth and development leading to insufficient vitamin D requirements, chronic respiratory infections, chronic diarrhea, and chronic diseases such as liver and kidney diseases that affect calcium and phosphorus absorption are also causes of rickets in infants and young children.

Because rickets develops slowly, it is generally difficult to detect in time and does not easily attract attention. The main feature of rickets is incomplete calcification of the epiphyseal cartilage plates and bone tissue of the growing long bones. Vitamin D deficiency causes incomplete calcification of mature bones. Rickets is not contagious, but if infants and young children suffer from rickets, their own immunity will be reduced, and they are prone to complications such as pneumonia and diarrhea, which will affect their growth and development. Therefore, the importance of actively preventing and treating rickets is particularly prominent.

Rickets, as a common disease, has a great impact on people's health and life. Some patients' condition deteriorates infinitely and becomes difficult to cure in the end because they do not know how to check for rickets. Therefore, we need to know more about the examination for rickets so that we can receive better treatment. Let's talk about the examination methods for baby rickets.

1. X-ray examination.

X-ray changes are most obvious in the long bones with faster skeletal development, especially in the distal ends of the ulna and radius and the proximal ends of the tibia and fibula. This type of rickets examination is more effective.

2. Laboratory examination: This is also an examination for rickets.

(1) Alkali phosphatase increases early in the course of rickets and recovers last, which is helpful for examination and diagnosis.

(2) Determination of serum 25(OH)D3 or 1,25(OH)2D3 levels. The values ​​are almost zero in typical rickets and significantly decreased in subclinical rickets. However, they can significantly increase after vitamin D treatment. It is a sensitive and reliable biochemical indicator.

Treatment of rickets

Infants and young children are the most susceptible to rickets. Babies after 3 months have a higher chance of suffering from rickets. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of rickets is very important. The treatment of rickets mainly focuses on supplementing vitamin D and calcium to prevent bone deformities and recurrence. The treatment method of rickets is mainly determined according to the different stages of the rickets in the child, which is divided into active stage and recovery stage.

1. Active rickets: Active treatment should be given based on clinical manifestations, with the aim of controlling disease activity and preventing deformities.

(1) Active mild rickets: 200,000-300,000 IU of vitamin D, taken orally or intramuscularly once, with an interval of 1 month. It can be given 1-2 times more. At the same time, calcium supplements are given, 0.5-1 gram each time, 2-3 times a day, for 1-2 months.

(2) Active moderate to severe rickets: 200,000 to 300,000 IU of vitamin D, taken orally or intramuscularly once, with an interval of 1 month, and then given 2 to 3 times. At the same time, calcium supplements should be given, 0.5 to 1 gram each time, 2 to 3 times a day, for 2 to 3 consecutive months.

2. Rickets in the recovery stage: For infants and young children in the recovery stage of rickets, vitamin D is generally not needed. They only need to get more sun exposure and improve nutrition. However, in winter and spring, to prevent recurrence, you can give 200,000 to 300,000 IU of vitamin D. A single oral or intramuscular dose of the above therapeutic dose of vitamin D can maintain the effect for 2-3 months. Therefore, there is no need to give a maintenance dose orally to prevent vitamin D poisoning. Just get more sun exposure.