Patient's question:
The child of my sister has been crying non-stop recently. The family doesn't know what to do and has conducted a thorough check-up, which revealed vitamin D deficiency rickets. How are the symptoms usually?Doctor's answer:
The main manifestation of rickets is skeletal deformity, occurring in different parts at different ages. At 2-3 months, it manifests as swelling of the anterior fontanelle and softening of the skull. The latter refers to gently pressing the concave part of the parietal and occipital bones with fingers, as if it were being pressed against a ping-pong ball. At 7-8 months, the baby may develop a square skull, where the frontal and parietal bones protrude outward as the center, with swelling around the wrists and ankles, known as "bracelets" and "ankle bracelets." Thoracic deformities, such as pigeon chest or funnel chest, can occur during infancy.