Incidence Of Rickets Research Articles

A CLINICAL STUDY OF RICKETS IN THE BREAST-FED INFANT

In the practice of pediatrics, one frequently finds rickets in the breast-fed infant. On close questioning, there may or may not be elicited some error in the feeding. If there is an error, it is likely to be blamed for the disease; and if there is no error, the history is very likely to be regarded as doubtful as regards some points. This study was undertaken to ascertain the incidence of rickets in breast-fed babies, and to investigate the symptoms and the influence of the disease in those whose feeding and care was supervised and directed from birth. In my service of the newly born, with its followup clinic, at the Touro Infirmary, an opportunity is afforded to study those infants whose care is begun at birth and closely supervised and regulated thereafter. This service has been described elsewhere. 1 Suffice it to say that it includes an inside and

INFANTILE RICKETS: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CLINICAL, RADIOGRAPHIC AND CHEMICAL EXAMINATIONS IN ITS DIAGNOSIS AND INCIDENCE

It is difficult, indeed impossible, as will be shown later, to state categorically the incidence of rickets. In large cities this has been variously estimated at from 50 to 75 per cent, or more among artificially fed infants. In the course of caring for a large group of young children in a model institution, situated in the outskirts of the city, it occurred to us some years ago to inquire how frequently rickets developed under these favorable conditions. It seemed especially worth while to ascertain, by careful and continued observation, whether this disorder came about with the same frequency among these infants as among the infants in the average city home. Our group has comprised about 250 babies less than 18 months of age, who have been cared for during the past four years. A group of this kind, living under similar hygienic surroundings, and receiving at all times a