Symptoms and treatment of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamins are an irreplaceable substance that ensures our health. Therefore, any vitamin deficiency is harmful to our body. So, what kind of impact can the deficiency of vitamin D, a substance that we cannot see or touch, have on us? Let us look at the symptoms caused by vitamin D deficiency and its treatment methods.

Deficiency symptoms:

The main clinical manifestations of vitamin D deficiency rickets are bone changes, muscle relaxation, and non-specific neuropsychiatric symptoms. Severe rickets can affect the digestive system, respiratory system, circulatory system and immune system, and can also affect the intellectual development of children. Clinically, it is divided into the initial stage, the acute stage, the recovery stage and the sequelae stage. The initial stage, the intense stage and the recovery stage are collectively referred to as the active stage.

1. Initial stage

Most cases begin to develop at around 3 months of age, with psychoneurological symptoms being the main symptoms during this period. Children suffer from disturbed sleep, crying, and sweating. After sweating, their scalp becomes itchy and they rub their heads on the pillow, resulting in occipital baldness.

2. Intensive period

In addition to the initial symptoms, the children mainly have bone changes and delayed motor development. Pressing your fingers on the occipital and parietal bones of children aged 3 to 6 months, you will feel the skull sink in, and it will bounce back when you release your hand. This is called the ping-pong sign. Children over 8 to 9 months old often have a square skull, a large anterior fontanelle and delayed closure. In severe cases, the anterior fontanelle has not closed at 18 months. The junction of the ribs and costal cartilage on both sides is swollen like beads, which are called rib beads. The middle part of the sternum protrudes forward to resemble a "pigeon chest", or sinks to form a "funnel chest", and the lower edge of the thorax turns outward to form "costal eversion"; the spine is kyphotic and lateral; the legs of children who can stand and walk will form an inward or outward bending deformity, that is, "O"-shaped or "X"-shaped legs. The children's muscles and ligaments are loose and weak, and their abdomen is swollen due to weak abdominal muscles. They have a "frog-shaped belly" when lying flat. Due to weak muscles in their limbs, they learn to sit, stand and walk at a late age, and they are prone to falling due to weak legs. Tooth eruption is late, teeth are crooked, and dental caries are more likely to occur. The cerebral cortex functions abnormally, conditioned reflexes form slowly, children have a dull expression, delayed language development, low immunity, and are prone to complications of infection and anemia.

3. Recovery period

After a certain amount of treatment, various clinical manifestations disappeared, muscle tone recovered, and blood biochemical changes and X-ray manifestations also returned to normal.

4. Sequelae

It is more common in children over 3 years old. After treatment or natural recovery, the clinical symptoms disappear, and only severe rickets leaves bone deformities in different parts and degrees.

Treatment:

Both prevention and treatment require vitamin D supplementation and calcium supplementation to prevent bone deformities and recurrence.

1. General treatment

Adhere to breastfeeding, add foods rich in vitamin D (liver, egg yolks, etc.) in a timely manner, and do more outdoor activities to increase the opportunity for direct sunlight exposure. During the stimulation period, do not let the child sit or stand for a long time to prevent bone deformities.

2. Vitamin D Supplementation

Initially, take vitamin D orally every day for 1 month, then change to a preventive dose. Take orally during the stimulation period, and change to the preventive dose after taking it for 1 month. If you cannot persist in taking the medicine or suffer from diarrhea, you can take vitamin D intramuscularly as a high-dose intensive therapy, and then switch to taking it orally in preventive doses after one month. Take calcium supplements orally for 4 to 5 days before intramuscular injection to avoid iatrogenic hypocalcemic convulsions.

3. Calcium supplements

Calcium supplements should be taken concurrently with vitamin D treatment.

4. Orthopedic therapy

Active and passive movements are used to correct bone deformities. Mild skeletal deformities will correct themselves after treatment or during growth. Physical exercise should be strengthened, and active or passive exercises can be performed to correct them, such as push-ups or chest expansion exercises to expand the chest and correct mild pigeon chest and rib valgus. Severe skeletal deformities can be corrected surgically, and surgical correction can be considered after the age of 4 years.

The above is what we introduced today about the symptoms and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. By understanding the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, we can identify the element we are deficient in so that we can better judge and prevent it. By learning about the treatment methods of vitamin D, we can more clearly choose the appropriate and accurate treatment method. Thereby ensuring our healthy body. The above are the symptoms and treatment methods of vitamin D deficiency.