RICKETS AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

Rickets is a condition that affects bone development in children. It causes bone pain, poor growth and soft, weak bones that can lead to bone deformities. A lack of vitamin D or calcium is the most common cause of rickets.

There are several steps you can take to help prevent rickets.

These include ensuring your child:

• Has a healthy, balanced diet. Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods. Sources include:
  • oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
  • red meat
  • liver
  • egg yolks
  • fortified foods – such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals
• Spends some time outside in the sun
• Takes a vitamin D supplement
• Breastfeeding is very good for babies, but a recent report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that breastfeeding babies be given vitamin D supplements to prevent them from developing rickets or vitamin D deficiency.

Supplements

The Academy recommends supplements of 400 IU of vitamin D for the following groups:

• Infants under the age of 1 who are breastfed and do not receive adequate sunlight exposure.
• Infants under the age of 1 who are not breastfed, but who drink less than 1000 milliliters of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk per day.
• Children older than 1 and adolescents who are not regularly exposed to sunlight and who do not ingest at least 600 IU/day of vitamin D-fortified milk or vitamin D-fortified food should take supplements.

In addition, pregnant and breastfeeding women should consider taking a daily supplement containing 400 IU of vitamin D.

Sunlight

Sunlight is a good source of vitamin D and it's where we get most of our vitamin D from. The vitamin forms under the skin after sun exposure. However, exposure to the sun is not recommended as a source of vitamin D for infants and children, particularly infants under 6 months old, due to the potential long-term risks of skin cancer.