Question
My child doesn’t want to take naps, it’s been 6 and a half months old. Their hair is thinning and not growing as yellow as before, and their calves are a bit curved. What should I do? Are these symptoms of rickets? I’m looking for any kind of assistance.
Answer
In the early stages of pediatric illness, common symptoms include night terrors, restlessness during deep sleep, excessive sweating, and irritability. In more severe cases, muscle tone is reduced, joints become loose, the abdomen takes on a hammerhead shape, and growth and development are disturbed. Changes in the skeleton are the main manifestation of rickets. In the early stages, the skull may become soft, but after 7 to 8 months, the head may appear square again and the fontanelle may close late. The chest is visible with costochondral rings, pigeon chest or funnel chest. The bones in the wrists and ankles become thickened, forming hand and foot rings.