英国佝偻病的新研究

Rickets was once a shameful disease; a sign of poverty, a poor diet and cramped and unhealthy living conditions. It was common in the early 20th century but had since almost completely disappeared from Britain.

But as a result of modern lifestyles, more and more cases of rickets are emerging across the country.

A lack of exposure to sunlight can lead to a vitamin D deficiency, preventing the body from absorbing enough calcium. A lack of calcium causes the disease.
4-year-old Toby Ault has rickets - not because of poverty but, as his mum Kathryn says, because they look after him too well:

"It's quite surprising but it does make sense because we do drive a lot of places, so he's not really exposed as much as he perhaps should be. And you do, you slap sun cream all over your children because you're told to, that's drummed into you. So, he does wear high factor (sun screen)."

Research has shown a big increase in the number of cases in recent years.

A recent study carried out by Professor Nicholas Clarke, a consultant orthopedic surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, discovered that 479 cases of rickets were recorded in 2009 compared to 185 cases in 2001.

Professor Clarke describes a recent case:

"I saw an infant a month ago who was referred to me because of delayed walking. The infant was 15 months old and the legs were so bowed the child could not stand physically."

He acknowledges the balance parents have to strike, but is greatly concerned by the lifestyle changes pursued by some families.

"It's very difficult for parents because they're encouraged to apply sunscreen because of the dermatological consequences of not. But it would seem that that excess is too much for bone health and vitamin D. So they're shutting out the sunshine which is causing problems with their bones. Similarly children, and particularly adolescents, don't go out as much; there isn't as much school sport and when they do go out they tend to cover up."

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because our skin can produce it from the sun's ultra-violet light. It helps control the amount of calcium we absorb and is important for the development of strong bones.

Without vitamin D, rickets can develop which then causes bones to soften. Usually a child's legs appear bowed as a result of rickets.

Four-year-old Toby Ault from West Sussex was diagnosed with an early onset rickets nine months ago after complaining that his legs hurt.

When his mother took Toby to the family doctor, he suspected it was a vitamin D deficiency and a blood test confirmed his suspicions.

For children like Toby, it seems that too much love and protection can have serious consequences for a child's health.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.