Treatment Options For Rickets

Health experts define rickets as a condition in which the bones in children soften and weaken, typically due to prolonged vitamin D deficiency. Now suppose your friend or relative wanted detailed information. For example, would you be able to answer questions about causes, preventative measures, and treatment options? If not, you are not alone, and you don’t have to be a medical professional to answer these questions. The following information will help everyone become better informed about rickets and how it is treated.

Increase Intake Of Vitamin D

Now that you know what rickets is, let’s look at how vitamin D plays in bone health and preventing rickets. The National Center For Biotechnology Information asserts vitamin D is crucial for the healthy development and function of bones by regulating calcium throughout life. In case you are wondering how much you need, representatives of the Food and Nutrition Board suggest children under one year old consume four hundred international units (IU), those under thirteen years old consume six hundred IU, and teens up to eighteen consume six hundred IU as well. They also recommend adults up to seventy years old consume six hundred IU and individuals over seventy years old consume eight hundred IU.

So how can you increase intake of vitamin D? Food sources of vitamin D include organ meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Supplements and sunlight are other options. The fact that the last option is not edible may seem odd, but the body produces vitamin D whenever it’s exposed to direct sunlight. Spending a few minutes outside will help individuals achieve their recommended daily intake of vitamin D, provided their diet includes some sources as well.

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Increase Intake Of Calcium

National Institutes of Health representatives assert the vast majority of calcium in the body, about ninety-nine percent, is stored in the teeth and bones, leaving the remaining calcium in the blood and other tissues. This is why an increased intake of calcium is necessary if you are not meeting the recommended daily intake.

According to research, infants up to six months old should have two hundred milligrams, babies up to one year old should have 260 milligrams, children up to three years old should consume seven hundred milligrams, those between four and eight years old should consume one thousand milligrams, and children and teens between nine and eighteen should consume 1300 milligrams. Adults of both genders between nineteen and fifty years old should consume one thousand milligrams a day, as should men between fifty-one and seventy. Women between fifty-one and seventy, as well as adults over seventy, should consume 1200 milligrams daily.

Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, and soft-boned fish. Be sure to include many sources like this to at least meet the daily recommended intake, particularly when dealing with a condition like rickets.

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