Abstract

NUTRITIONAL RICKETS AMONG HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN IN ALBAIDA HOSPITAL -LIBYA

Mohamed Thabet Ali* and Najwa H. Abduljawad

Abstract

Nutritional rickets is a significant health problem among children. We determined the frequency of nutritional rickets and vitamin D deficiency among hospitalized children in Althawra hospital in albaida city /Libya and their risk factors. During 18 months period, 180 hospitalized children (ages between 0 to 2 years) were evaluated for clinical and biochemical markers of vitamin D deficient rickets and related factors. 43 of them (23.8%) were diagnosed as nutritional vitamin D deficiency and rickets. Most of the children diagnosed were under one year old (32/43, 74.4%). 27 vitamin D deficient rachitic children were admitted to the hospital with respiratory tract infection. The rachitic group was compared for statistical significance with the non-rachitic control patients for the data collected. Rachitic children had a lower rate of vitamin D intake. The frequency of malnutrition and anemia and the percentage of covered mothers were higher in the rachitic group than in the control group. Vitamin D deficiency related rickets is still a common and serious health problem especially in the infancy period. a specific attention should be given to women of reproductive age and in the early infancy period. Initiation of vitamin D supplementation could be offered very early in children with risk factors.

Keywords: Nutritional rickets, children, vitamin D deficiency, respiratory tract infection, pneumonia.