| Abstract: | ![]()
Summary Forty-two selected cases of rickets, substantiated with radiological evidences, were studied etiologically and clinically with special emphasis on the environment and dietary regime. Forty-one of these came from towns and only one was from rural area. Twenty-four were between 2 to 4 years of age, four being below the age of 2, and the youngest was 6 months old. All these forty-two children belonged to poor socio-economic status and in thirty-three families, the incomeper captia per month ranged from Rs. 5 to Rs. 20. Thirty four were stated to have a daily sun exposure of approximately two to four hours, especially in the winter. The dietary of these children consisted mainly of cereals with hardly any source of protein and calcium. This imbalanced dietary seems to be the most important single factor in the etiology of rickets. Chronic recurrent diarrhoea was found in twenty-seven cases. In fifteen families, there was evidence of rickets in one or other sibs in addition to the patient. Seventeen cases presented with gross deformities of the skeletal system, and fifteen were virtually crippled. Other associated gross nutritional deficiencies were anaemia (thirty-seven cases), wasting (twenty cases), vitamin B deficiency (twelve cases) and vitamin A deficiency (seven cases). From The Department of Pediatrics, Medical College, Amritsar. |
