Rickets

  Written by: Muhammad Nasir Serat

According to the information provided by the ministry of public health of Afghanistan about 20 % of children under the age of five, are suffering from rickets. Rickets is a condition that could cause some serious problems.

OEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people.

Marjana, a resident of Logar province says: “my son is 2 years old. He is suffering from rickets. He became very weak. When he wants to walk, he falls down on the ground. My two children have died before.”

Farzana, a resident of Kabul province says: “my son has rickets. His feet are crooked backward and his chest and head bones are changing time by time and he doesn’t grow.”

Doctor Fazal Rabi Ahmadzai, an orthopedist at Indra Gandhi Children’s Hospital, Kabul city says: “Rickets is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children. children and adult both could be affected by rickets but more cases are seen in children under 3 years. Its symptoms and signs are:

bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, and trouble sleeping. Complications might include bone fractures, muscle spasms, an abnormally curved spine, or intellectual disability.”

 What do people think about rickets?

Ahmad Shah, a resident of Farza district, Kabul province says that as this condition is restricted to the children, he doesn’t have any information about it.

A mother says: “poor nutrition of mothers during pregnancy and living  in the rooms without sun could cause their children to have rickets.”

Hazrat Muhammad, a resident of Company, district 5, Kabul city says: “when my son’s wife was pregnant, she was not eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairies and now her child is suffering from rickets.”

The doctor says about the cause of this problem: “The deficiency of calcium and Vitamin D and poor nutrition of pregnant mothers; avoiding dairies, vegetables, and fresh fruits and living in sunless rooms are the main causes of rickets. No interval between births, no breastfeeding and heredity also could cause rickets.”

How do people treat this disease?

A mother from Khost province says: “my toddler has rickets and he is so small that could not eat anything. I eat more fresh fruits and vegetables for increasing my breast milk supply and the physician said that he could be recovered soon.”

Doctor Ahmadzai says: “Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy child. Mothers could improve their children’s health by keeping a balanced diet. The child should eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a source of protein but the child with rickets should be treated essentially.”