Question
My daughter was born three months ago and has difficulty falling asleep. She is prone to seizures, crying, shaking her head, and sweating. I have been giving her cod liver oil and calcium gluconate for less than 20 days, but the effect is not very apparent. I went to the hospital for a thorough examination. There was no movement in the sternum and no urine test was performed. She was diagnosed with rickets. A box of vitamin AD drops and calcium acetate granules were prescribed for the baby to be carefully examined. What are the early symptoms of rickets?
Answer
Rickets, also known as vitamin D deficiency rickets, is a systemic, chronic, nutritional disease characterized by bone inflammation due to insufficient vitamin D in infants, children, and adolescents, leading to abnormal calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It is a common nutritional disease among infants. The clinical manifestations are mainly bone changes, muscle relaxation, and non-specific mental symptoms. The skull and iliac bones show softening of the skull, deformation of the skull, a large fontanelle, and late closure. Late eruption of teeth can be delayed until 1 or 3 years old. In severe cases, teeth may be malformed with poor enamel development. Changes in costochondral bead formation.