Question

How should a 7-month-old child with rickets be treated?

Answer

Hello:

  1. General therapy involves enhancing care, allowing the child to spend more time outdoors, getting regular sunlight exposure, and ensuring proper nutrition. It also involves actively preventing complications.
  2. Drug therapy includes:
    • Vitamin D supplements: Initially, the child should take 5000-10,000 IU of vitamin D daily for one month. If oral administration cannot be maintained, vitamin D2 can be administered via intramuscular injection at a dose of 400,000 IU (or vitamin D3 at 300,000 IU), which should be given 1-2 times with a one-month interval between each dose. For severe cases of rickets, where complications exist or oral administration is not possible, a massive acute therapy can be used. Generally, calcium supplements should also be given. The method is to administer vitamin D3 at 600,000 IU via intramuscular injection every one to two weeks for two to three times in total, with a total dose of 12 million to 18 million IU. After two to three months of acute therapy, the child should be given preventive oral doses.
    • In addition to the vitamin D treatment mentioned above, appropriate amounts of calcium supplements, vitamins A, B, and C should also be given as supportive therapy.