Read more: Lifestyle habits that weaken your bones and joints
Children are denied access to outdoor educational, work and sporting activities, which substantially affects their physical health and development. Even though we are all facing additional constraints due to the crisis, parents are often concerned about how they will care for their children while working and learning at home and stay calm during this unusual outbreak .
Children’s bone disease refers to diseases that impair bone strength, growth and overall health. Children’s bones are constantly growing and reshaping themselves. The growth plate is a vulnerable part of bone where growth insult can potentially occur. During growth remodeling, old bone is gradually replaced by new bone tissue. As a child grows, many developmental abnormalities may improve or worsen. Other bone disorders may be inherited or develop spontaneously in childhood.
Here are some important things parents should keep in mind to nurture their child’s bone health:
Encourage your children to participate in physical activities at least 5 times a week
Encourage your child to participate in age-appropriate, fun, and varied activities. This varies depending on the age of your child, from being active throughout the day for preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) to 60 minutes or more for school-aged children and teens (ages 6 to 17). be active for a long time. Incorporate your child’s daily 60 minutes or more of muscle-strengthening exercises, such as climbing or push-ups, at least twice a week.
In terms of nutrition, give your kids a calcium-rich diet
Calcium is found in moderate amounts in dairy products. Ragi is an excellent source of calcium for people living in the south. Ragi contains 350-375 mg of calcium per 100 grams. It is important to include ragi in your diet. If ragi is not available, people from North India can substitute rajma or sesame seeds. 275-300mg calcium is found in kidney beans and 800mg in sesame. As a result, it is a highly concentrated form of calcium that is readily available.
Cola, soda and aerated drinks should be avoided in the diet of the child
There is ample data to suggest that excessive soda and carbonated beverage consumption is associated with reduced bone mass in youth. Although the actual cause of the problem is unknown, researchers believe that the consumption of soda, especially cola, has several adverse effects on bone density. One reason that people who drink colas are less likely to get enough calcium and vitamin D in their diets is because they are replacing more nutritious beverages such as milk or calcium-fortified juices with sodas.
Monitor your child’s posture while taking an online class or watching television
The ’90-90-90′ guideline should be followed for the seating of children. Your child’s elbows, hips and knees should be at 90-degree angles when he sits. This means that your child’s workstation should be equal to the height of their elbows. To get the proper seating position for young children, the chair may need to be raised in size. If your baby’s feet are hanging in the middle of the air instead of resting firmly on the floor, the feet should be supported or supported.
Common growth abnormalities that are related to families-
1) Toe-in/W-sit position
2) Bowl and Knock Knee
3) curvature abnormality of the spine
4) flat foot
in toe
As children begin to walk, a significant number of children have toe twitches, which can be caused by simple toe problems or by hip architecture. Generally speaking, there is no major cause for concern- consulting a trained paediatrician or pediatrician will help.
Bowl and Knock Knee
Most babies at birth have bow legs that become overstretched by 18 months of age and will then progress to kneecap walking by 36 months. Gradually they settle into microscopic knees by the age of 7.
curvature of the spine
Scoliosis is a change in the curvature of the spine, and sometimes it is missed. We would encourage families to examine the spine in children from behind and look for subtle changes and especially. It is common in teenage girls.
flat feet
This is another presentation that is usually benign and does not cause any functional limitation. About 10% of flat feet in children can be problematic and thus cause problems. Most newborns are born with flat feet, and the arches begin to develop by age 3, and the arches of the feet mature by age 10.
A variety of disorders in children can cause bone disease:
Bone diseases can be caused by trauma, infection, or cancer; They can also be inherited, develop as a child, or develop for no apparent reason. Some bone disorders cause pain and make walking difficult, while others cause no symptoms.
A thorough history, close observation and examination, and the selective use of X-rays or MRIs are all used by doctors for diagnosis.
Vitamin D deficiency: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from a diet that work together to build strong bones. A severe deficiency can cause thin, brittle, or deformed bones.
Rickets: A disorder in which the bones become pulpy and fragile in youth. Rickets occurs in most young people as a result of long-term, severe vitamin D deficiency. Bowed legs are a common symptom.
– Incomplete osteogenesis: Osteogenesis imperfecta, often referred to as brittle bone disease, is a hereditary disease that affects people from birth. Bones that break easily are a sign of brittle bone disease.
– Osteopetrosis: Infantile osteopetrosis is an uncommon hereditary disorder that appears from birth. Bones in this condition usually do not form, resulting in extremely thick but fragile and easily broken bones. Short stature, hearing and vision loss, frequent fractures and infections are all possible consequences of this disease. Low blood calcium and parathyroid hormone levels are common in children with this disease.
Bone disease can be easily diagnosed using various methods and can be treated with the help of vitamin D and calcium supplements. Depending on the severity of the condition, some types of bone diseases require prescription medications, physical therapy, or even surgery.
This article is written by Dr. Mohan Puttaswamy, Senior Consultant – Reconstructive Orthopedic Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road.
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