Rickets : Causes And Effects

Excesses vitamin leads to nausea, headache, dizziness, hair, loss, birth defects. Deficiences are night blindness, degeneration of epithelial tissues.

The researchers depended on birth defects statistics which can be found in medical record to support their results about the effect of folic acid fortification on NTDs (Chen et al., 2008). This data showed that although there was a declining in NTDs’ prevalence in prefortification, the NTDs’ prevalence did not continue to decline in postfortifcation (Chen et al., 2008). Hence, this study’s results conflict with the results of De Wals et al’s study which claimed that folic acid fortification decreases the NTDs’ prevalence after the full fortification period (De Wals et al., 2008).

2). In addition, this disease causes death, short stature, blindness, and hearing loss. “Seventy percent of children with malignant infantile osteoporosis die by the age of six years, and almost 100 percent do not live to the age of 10 years” (Stocks et al., p. 2). The main cause of death is bone marrow failure, due to non-functioning osteoclasts. Some children will also have delays in muscle coordination, nerve compression, low levels of iron, crossed eyes, tooth decay, abnormal hardening of the bones, and fractures. (“Osteopetrosis,” 2008).

Individuals who inherit this disease will have a rapid progression of symptoms. Walking becomes difficult and skeletal contractures and muscle atrophy follows. They also usually need wheelchairs by adolescence. Half of the receivers of the disease unfortunately develop some form of mental retardation and most never make it past their teenage years. Currently, options for a treatment of muscular dystrophy are limited. Physical therapy may slow down the progression of deformities. Such devices as wheel chairs, crutches, or secondary orthopedic limbs may permit mobility. There are also a few medications that can help relieve pain and stiffness in the muscles. The Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy Research and the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh helped fund a research project for the disease. The research, carried out by Johnny Huard, Ph.D., is looking fairly successful. Scientists are isolating special

According to the US National Library of Medicine, “rickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate”. What does this mean exactly? Vitamin D, calcium and phosphate are necessary to promote strong bone health. Without these essential components, our bones become brittle and weak. Impaired growth, skeletal deformities, decreased muscle tone, probability of bone fractures and dental deformities are likely.

Rickets is seen during periods of rapid growth because during growth a great deal of vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium are needed. “The predominant cause is a vitamin D deficiency, but lack of adequate calcium in the diet may also lead to rickets. Although it can occur in adults, the majority of cases occur in children suffering from severe malnutrition, usually resulting from famine or starvation during the early stages of childhood” (Rickets, 2007). If a child is severely lacking theses important vitamins and minerals when they are rapidly growing, then the body will compensate for the nutrients’ deficiencies. “Your body senses an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus in your bloodstream and reacts by taking calcium and phosphorus from your bones to raise blood levels to where they need to be. This softens or weakens the bone structure, resulting most commonly in skeletal deformities such as bowlegs or improper curvature of the spine” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2006).

There are often difficulties with diagnosis in DMD because the symptoms may vary and where there is no family history DMD may not at first be suspected. It is quite common to see a delayed walking age with first steps being taken at around eighteen months. Once a boy with DMD is walking he may fall readily. He often has difficulty climbing (stairs for example), difficulty running and jumping, and he may develop a ‘waddling’ gait. Classic symptoms include enlargement (hypertrophy) of the calf muscles, which occurs in about 90% of cases. He may develop a tendency to walk on his toes and this is often accompanied by a protruding abdomen and sway-backed stance, called ‘lordosis’. He may experience difficulty getting up from the floor without help, he may use his hands to climb up his legs for support – this is referred to as ‘Gowers sign’. These symptoms generally begin to

Therefore, individuals that suffer from DMD will usually die in their early 20s, due to infection, heart and/or respiratory difficulties (Blake et al., 2002). During 1961-1982, data was collected on 473 Dutch Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. By studying this data, it was shown that the median survival was 19.4 years for patients that have already passed the age of 10 years old. About 23.6% of individuals survived 23.3 years at the minimum. On average, patients died 7.9 years after becoming immobile (Essen et al.) DMD can be detected shortly after birth by examining the amount of serum creatine kinase (CK) activity within the infant. Although, diagnosis is usually made during 3 to 8 years (Jennekens FG, et al. 1991). The symptoms of Muscular Dystrophy typically appear between the ages of two and three. The symptoms include falling frequently, increased clumsiness, walking on the toes, stiffness and weakness in the muscles, mental impairment, learning disabilities and

Each article analysed, as well as professional interviews indicated that rickets is the leading disease connected to bone deformities such as Genu Valgum (Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, 2014; Bowed legs, Blount's Disease, n.d) This is supported by orthopaedic surgeon Dr David Hermann (Hermann, 2016) who stated in an interview ‘’It can be caused through a fracture, trauma or a disease, a common one of is Rickets.’’ To elaborate, rickets is a vitamin D deficiency common in children; it causes a child to suffer from submissive bones and joints, as well as excruciating muscle pain. Rickets can develop through a number of causes, for example; naturally darker skin and lack of sun exposure. It is a key element to the body because of its ability to break down calcium, ultimately creating strong and healthy bones (Rickets, 2016; Shapiro, F

All 30 of these forms are separated into a total of 8 different categories. Let’s start with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This is the most common of all types in children. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy mostly affects boys. It is very rare for a girl to develop this version of the disease. Symptoms of this disease include: trouble walking, poor posture, loss of reflexes, bone thinning, mental impairment, swallowing issues, heart and lung weakness, and more. When affected with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, more times than none a wheelchair is required before teenage years. Generally speaking, there is no cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. However, there are therapy treatments and medicines that can protect the muscles, as well keep their lungs and heart healthy. For example, with Duchenne, one may have a walking impairment but taking a steroid such as prednisone can sedate the speed of damage being done to the muscles. Those children who take this steroid are typically able to walk for 2-5 years longer than those who do not take it. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy affects the cardiovascular system the most, so they should see a

There are numerous factors that contribute to the development of this horrible disease, but the most important factor is vitamin D deficiency. When the minerals in osteoid crystallize, they require adequate concentration of calcium and phosphate. When the concentration is not at the correct level, ossification does not proceed normally (Huether & McCance, 2008). Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium from the intestine. When there is a lack of vitamin D, the concentration of calcium begins to fall (Huether & McCance, 2008). The body begins to regulate this calcium drop by increases the amount of PTH synthesis and secretion (Huether & McCance, 2008). An increase of PTH causes a clearance of phosphate and without the correct levels of phosphate mineralization of the bones cannot proceed in the correct manor (Huether & McCance, 2008). The abnormality of bone growth can occur in spongy and compact bone (Mayo

Although Pica can potentially affect anyone, it usually occurs in young children, pregnant women, and those with mental disorders such as OCD or Schizophrenia. Common mineral deficiencies related to Pica are iron deficiency (anemia), and zinc deficiency. Substance usually ingested due to these particular deficiencies are ice, soil, clay, chalk, and stone. Consuming these items does not replenish the body of these deficiencies, it only causes further problems. Although it is common and fairly normal for very young children to be curious, and taste and consume odd things, if

seen in children. Extensive rehabilitation is usually not advised for for this condition since it can

The major defect in Osteomalacia is a deficiency of activated vitamin D , which promotes calcium absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and facilitates mineralization of bone.

In Europe doctors prescribe vitamin D for infants to prevent those kinds of problems, and also they recommend daily walks in the sun. That is why the children in Europe don’t have rickets as often as in United States. The doctors here depend on the vitamins that are in the formula, but it is not enough.