The CORONA pandemic within India resulted in a health emergency. It also incited various restraints at the beginning of March 2020. Since then, universities and schools have been closed because of quarantine, which has forced the closure of nearly all government industries and work projects. Outdoor educational, work and sporting activities have been denied to children, negatively impacting their physical health and development.
“Children’s bone disease is a term that describes illnesses that affect growth, bone strength, and overall well-being in children,” says Dr. Ratnav Ratan, among the best Pediatric Orthopedic Specialists from Delhi. Parents are frequently concerned about caring for their children while working and learning at home. However, we are all facing additional challenges due to the crisis, and they remain calm throughout this unusual outbreak.
The bones of children are constantly growing and reshaping. The growth plate is a vulnerable area of the bone that can be harmed during development. During growth remodeling, old bone is gradually replaced by new bone tissue.
Many growth abnormalities may improve or worsen as the child grows. Other bone disorders can be passed down through the generations or arise spontaneously in childhood.
Parents should remember the following key points to help their children’s bone health:
Encourage your kids to engage in physical activity at least five times per week.
Encourage your child to participate in activities that are age-appropriate, enjoyable, and varied. This varies depending on your child’s age, ranging from preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) being active all day to school-aged children and teenagers being active for 60 minutes or more (ages 6 through 17 years). Include muscle-strengthening exercises in your child’s daily 60 minutes or more at least twice a week, such as climbing or doing push-ups.
Provide a calcium-rich diet to your children in terms of nutrition.
Dairy products contain moderate amounts of calcium. Ragi is an excellent source of calcium for people who live in the south. The calcium content of ragi is 350-375 mg per 100 grams. Incorporating ragi into one’s diet is essential. If ragi isn’t available, north Indians can use Rajma or Sesame instead. According to Dr. Ratnav Ratan, calcium is found in 275-300 mg and 800 mg in sesame in rajma. As a result, it’s a highly concentrated and readily available form of calcium.
Children should not consume Colas, sodas, and aerated drinks.
There is enough evidence to recommend that extreme soda and carbonated drink consumption in children is linked to lower bone mass. Although the exact cause of the problem is unknown, researchers believe that drinking soda, particularly colas, has several adverse effects on bone density.
One reason could be that people who drink colas replace more nutritious beverages like milk or calcium-fortified juice with soda, making them less likely to get enough calcium and vitamin D in their diets.
While your child is taking online classes or watching television, keep an eye on their posture.
When sitting for children, the ’90-90-90′ rule should be followed. When your child sits, his elbows, hips, and knees should all be at a 90-degree angle.
This means that the height of your child’s workstation should be the same as their elbow. The chair may need to be raised in size to achieve the proper seated position for young children.
Foot support or a stool should be provided if your child’s feet dangle in mid-air, preferably resting steadily upon the floor.
According to Dr. Ratnav Ratan, families should be concerned about the following common growth abnormalities:
1) In-toeing/W-position sitting
2) Knock knees and bowlegs
3) An abnormal curvature of the spine
4) Flat foot
In-toeing
When children first begin walking, many develop in-toeing, which can be caused by simple toe problems or the hip architecture.
In general, there is no reason to be concerned; however, a consultation with a trained pediatrician or a pediatric orthopedic surgeon can be beneficial.
Knock knees and bowlegs
Most babies have bow legs at birth, which become exaggerated until they are 18 months old and then progress to knock knees by 36 months.
By the age of seven, they’ve settled into subtle knock knees.
The curvature of the spine
Scoliosis is a change in the curvature of the spine that is frequently overlooked.
We encourage parents to examine their children’s spines from the back and look for subtle changes, especially in teenage girls.
Flat foot
This is yet another benign presentation that does not limit one’s ability to function.
Around 10% of children have flat feet, which can be problematic and cause problems. Most newborns have flat feet, but by the age of three, the arches have begun to develop, and the arches have matured by ten years of age.
Bone disease can be caused by a variety of conditions in children, including:
Dr. Ratnav Ratan says, “Trauma, infection, or cancer can cause bone diseases; they can also be inherited, develop as a child grows, or develop for no apparent reason.”
Some bone disorders cause pain and make walking difficult, while others show no signs or symptoms.
Doctors diagnose patients using a thorough history, close observation and examination, and selective x-rays or MRIs.
– Vitamin D deficiency: Vitamin D aids in absorbing calcium and phosphorus from the diet, which works together to form strong bones. Thin, brittle, or deformed bones can result from a severe deficiency.
– Rickets: A condition in which a child’s bones grow fragile and mushy. A long-term, severe vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in the preponderance of kids. Legs that are bowed are a common symptom.
-Imperfect osteogenesis: Osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, is a hereditary disease that affects people from birth. Brittle bones are characterized by easily shattering bones.
– Osteopetrosis: Infantile osteopetrosis is a rare hereditary condition that begins at birth. The bones do generally not form in this condition, resulting in overly thick but fragile and easily broken bones.
This illness can cause short stature, hearing and vision loss, frequent fractures, and infections, among other things. Children with this illness frequently have low blood calcium and parathyroid hormone levels.
Bone disease is easily diagnosed using a variety of methods and treated with vitamin D and calcium supplements.
Some types of bone diseases require prescription drugs, physical therapy, or surgery, depending on the severity of the condition.
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