What diseases are children prone to calcium deficiency and what are the symptoms

The problem of calcium deficiency in children is of course something that all parents need to pay attention to, because calcium deficiency in children can easily cause other adverse diseases, such as common rickets-induced hypocalcemia, or symptoms such as abdominal pain and open fontanelles, which can cause great harm to children's health.

1. Convulsions

If the calcium and phosphorus levels in the baby's blood are significantly low, he will suffer from "rickets-induced hypocalcemic convulsions", also known as vitamin D deficiency tetany, commonly known as "hypocalcemic convulsions".

Causes

The important role of calcium in the blood is to inhibit muscle excitability and prevent excessive contraction. When the calcium level in the baby's blood drops, the inhibitory effect weakens, the muscle excitability will immediately increase, and the person will have involuntary contractions, that is, cramps.

Symptoms

The baby is crying and restless, and is easily frightened by the slightest sound. When Fanxun was frightened, his wrists were bent on both sides, with his thumbs pressed against his palms and the other fingers stretched straight. Sometimes the legs are stretched straight and crossed, the toes are bent downward, and the dorsum of the feet is arched, like dancing ballet. The attack lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes and then resolves on its own.

The baby is conscious during the attack, and the attacks may occur frequently, up to more than 10 times a day. In severe cases, laryngeal spasm may occur, which is mainly characterized by cramps in the throat. Generally, more babies under 1 year old are affected. When an attack occurs, the baby's glottis and laryngeal muscles contract strongly, causing difficulty in breathing and emitting terrible guttural sounds. In more serious cases, the patient may become unconscious or even suffocate to death.

2. Abdominal pain

Causes

The free calcium ion level in the blood is low and the neuromuscular excitability is increased. When the smooth muscles of the intestinal wall are slightly stimulated, they will undergo strong contractions, which is called intestinal spasm, and cause digestive tract symptoms such as abdominal pain.

Symptoms

The baby has irregular stomach pain, which is not related to external factors such as diet and defecation. Stool test results are normal. Antiparasitic, digestive, and antispasmodic drugs have no effect.

3. Fontanelle not closed

If the anterior fontanelle of a baby over 18 months old has not yet closed, he or she should go to the hospital for a skeletal X-ray and blood test. If the X-ray shows a calcium deficiency in the blood, it means that the baby has "nutritional deficiency rickets", which is commonly known as "rickets".

Causes

When the baby's calcium intake is insufficient or the intestinal absorption of calcium is reduced, the calcium deficiency in the body directly affects the deposition of calcium in the bones. If the body's calcium cannot be deposited in the bones normally, the bones will become soft. The skull grows rapidly during infancy, and one of the earliest symptoms of calcium deficiency is insufficient calcification of the skull, which leads to rickets and softening of the skull (commonly known as "ping-pong head").

Symptoms

The inner plate of the skull of the affected baby becomes thinner, and the parietal or occipital bone feels like a "ping-pong ball". If not discovered and treated in time, the anterior fontanelle will enlarge, the edges will soften, and closure will be delayed. At the same time, it will be accompanied by common symptoms of rickets such as night terrors, irritability, sweating, restless sleep, crying, startling, shaking head, and skull softening.