Rickets in children: diet and treatment for its cure and prevention
If you are pregnant or mother you should consider this information, because although rickets is a rare condition in well-developed countries, occurs usually in young children, and nothing better than being well informed to avoid it.
Rickets is a condition that is characterized by deformation or problems in the bone marrow or the skeleton of the body causing the following symptoms:
Symptoms of rickets:
- Bone pain or tenderness in the arms, spine, legs or pelvis
- Deformities of the bones
- Asymmetrical skull
- Scoliosis curves in the column
- Projection of the sternum forward
- Bowlegs
- Tendency to bone fractures
- Delay in the formation of teeth
- Defects or porous teeth
- Muscle cramps
- Decreased muscle mass and loss of muscle strength
- Poor growth (short stature)
Causes of rickets:
- Bad nutrition
- Lack of vitamin D: in the absence of this vitamin the body can't regulate the balance of calcium and phosphate, which causes a decrease of minerals and that hormones take calcium and phosphate to increase bone mineral in the body and not neglect their important functions.
- Lack of sun exposure: which is a source of vitamin D.
- Decrease in the mineralization of bone and cartilage.
- Low levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.
- In vegetarians, vitamin D deficiency, which is mainly extracted from milk, animal derivatives and green vegetables.
- In some children with liver disorders.
- Hereditary rickets occurs when the kidneys can't retain phosphate, or in cases of kidney disorders that involve renal tubular acidosis.
Diet, preventive and curative treatment
To treat the symptoms and causes of rickets or prevent them, you should do a diet with adequate vitamin D levels, without neglecting, of course, the contribution of other minerals and vitamins that help metabolize nutrients properly.
It is recommended the diet includes vitamin C, either in juice or vegetables, which should be as fresh as possible to prevent oxidation (removal of their property by exposure to sun or air). Vitamin C can be obtained from the orange, lemon and all citrus. Drink a glass of warm water with a squeezed lemon juice fasting, not only contributes enough vitamin C, it purifies blood and intestines and stimulates liver for proper operation. On the other hand, vitamin A and vegetables must be included in the diet like alfalfa, carrots, mango, kiwi, cherries, plums, sprouts, etc.
Avoid at all foods that fill the body and demineralize it, as junk or refined products like white sugar, they also damage the nervous system and steal calcium from bones. The bad fats should be avoided and replaced by good fat, like extra virgin olive oil, which is excellent for maintaining body functions in balance.
Pregnancy and children
If you're pregnant, try eating a diet rich in raw or steamed vegetables, include enough iron in your diet and take walks in the morning for you to absorb the nourishing rays of morning sun and your baby absorb nutrients well. On the other hand, it is very important that you transmit your baby an early affective communication: Sing songs, talk and express your love. Believe it or not, the emotional energy between you and your baby is essential to have a strong, healthy baby.
If you have small children, give them milk supplements with added nutrients, and attempt to feed your baby up to 11 months old. In this period, do not forget to take yeast, dairy milks and enough iron to make your milk is of the highest quality.
In cases of children with rickets, you should follow the recommended diet, including almond milk in the diet, vegetable porridge in soups and stews, but not too cooked to avoid losing their property. Purchased fruit juices are frequently added with chemical additives or preservatives, the best ones are made with organic fruit juices.
In newborn babies, give them sunbathing, which should be done with the rays of the morning sun. Bare your baby and put it near a window near the sun; getting sun stimulates their legs and arms doing a special workout routine for their age.
Proper exercise is important because it helps to stimulation of organs, tissues and organs, and maintains healthy skeletal system. Early stimulation in infants can help prevent rickets if accompanied by proper diet.
Children with rickets or tendency to this condition should constantly feel supported emotionally and affectively, which does not mean to consent them, but the express your love and guidance through boundaries and appropriate communication.