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5 lakh children suffer from rickets

Say experts

Mahbuba Zannat
The number of children suffering from rickets has been increasing day by dav since (lie last three decades, which is estimated over 5 lakh in different upazilas across die country.
The prevalence of patients suffering from rickets is more in coastal belt areas The cases of rickets are also found in six divisions with Sylhet and Chittagong predomi-nandy.
Rickets is a crippling disease of • growing children. The symptoms of rickets are emerged with the growth of children Rickets can develop as early as six months of age. Vitamin D deficiency is the primary cause of the disease. Calcium deficiency’ is now considered die main cause of rickets.
Rickets results in physical deformities especially in legs. It sometimes decays muscle and leads to permanent disability The first case of rickets was found in Cox's Bazar after thedevastatingcyclonein 1990.
Experts apprehended that tidal wave, storm and cultivation in the sain water may be the risk factors of people s getting infected into rickets as the density of calcium reduces due to the sain-water.
Though it was thought that the people in Bangladesh would not be affected by rickets, the disease is
caused mainly due to lack of vitamin D as people can get plenty of vita min D from the sunray. But the fact is that a huge number of children have been affected with die disease because of calcium deficiency, said ICDDR.B scientist SK Roy
Experts said if the body does not have enough calcium, it will not be able to use the Vitamin D that would result in causing rickets People suffering from rickets become disable gradually and resistance power of their bodies is reduced while psychiatric problems are also seen among them
Hie daily calcium intake should be 500-800 mg for die children under age five. Whereas, most of the children are receiving calcium from 150 to 200 mg through dieir daily food consumption, they added.
They further said at the same time, around 35 percent children in the country are born with low birth rate, that is, they are bom with calcium deficiency', lack of exclusive breast-feeding aggravates it.
According to the survey of Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable (SARPV) in 2006, it was found that 9 percent children have been suffering from rickets. The survey was conducted at 24 villages of Chokoria upazila in Cox's Bazar.
Helen Keller international in association with SARPV also con-
ducted a survey in 2004 that revealed around 5 lakh children suffering from die disease.
Ihe survey conducted at 28 upazilas in six divisions found that 16 upazilas are most affected with the disease. Ihe rickets-affected children were found mostly in Sylhet and Chittagong.
The research revealed that the percentage of children suffering from rickets is 1 I in Cox's Bazar and 0.8 at Chouddagram in Comflla. Ihe rate is 1.13 at Srimangal in Moul vi bazar and 0.58 in Naogaon.
"if we pay little heed to this group, it is possible to protect the children from the dread fulness of rickets,” said SARPVChiefExecutive Dr Shahidul Haque, adding that intake of calcium-rich vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, arum, beans, pulse, small fish and milk should be increased in our daily meals.
At the same time, if slight-sodium carbonate can be added while cooking rice, it would meet the need of calcium, he stud.
The cause of rickets is not poverty. rather it is due to food habit and environment which should be addressed through study, he added.
It is important to start public health nutrition programme for rickets prevention and to establish regional treatment centers for the patients suffering from the disease
as it is found that some 75 children were cured through receiving proper treatment in Chokoria. experts suggested.
Nutrition treatment is also important, experts said adding that study shows 66 percent of a group of children aged between two and four became normal after receiving nutrition treatment for three years.
However, A Rickets Interest Group (RIG) has been formed with Brae, ICDDR.B, Unicef, Cate Bangladesh and National Nutrition Programme (NNP) that has been renewing the situation and analysing thecauses. prevention strategies and providing treatment to combat rickets.
A national survey also is going to be conducted on rickets. But it is very much important to formulate rickets policy by the government for situation analysis and to take necessary’steps regarding the policy.
While talking to Ihe Daily Star. Assistant Director of National Nutrition Programme Dr SM Mostafizur Rahman said it is urgent to conduct a national survey on why the prevalence of rickets is so high in the coastal areas.
“We have prepared a proposal to address the issue and it has been sent to the health ministry," he said, adding that process is going on to conduct a survey in this regard.