Dental problems, difficulty walking and delayed child development and growth are some of the symptoms of rickitism, a disease that affects children’s bone development, leaving them fragile, soft and deformed.
Rickteritis can be diagnosed by the pediatrician performing a physical exam, and its main cause is the lack of vitamin D, which affects the structure and development of the bones. Treatment of this disease usually involves replacing vitamin D with multivitamin complexes and vitamin D-rich foods, such as cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel or boiled egg, for example. Find out all about this disease in Understanding What Rickitism Is.
The main symptoms of rickitism often include
In addition, when there is also a lack of calcium in the body, other symptoms such as spasms, muscle cramps and tingling in the hands and feet may also appear.
Diagnosis of ricktering can be made by the pediatrician, who will perform a physical exam to assess whether the bones are soft, fragile, painful, or have deformities.
If the physical exam shows changes and your doctor suspects rickitism, you may order a bone x-ray and blood tests to evaluate the amount of vitamin D and calcium in your blood.