BMJ  2007;334:1288 (23 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39247.699780.3A

Letters

Rickets

Prevention message is not getting through

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Ten years ago vitamin D deficient rickets was diagnosed in six children in Manchester, which highlighted the need to implement the government's policy on vitamin D supplementation.1 In Tayside in the past four months we have diagnosed vitamin D deficient rickets in five infants in an almost identical scenario. None of these children or mothers had received vitamin D supplementation. Their families were unaware of the need for this, despite the UK government recommendations for the universal use of vitamin supplements to all breastfeeding infants to prevent rickets, which have existed for over 10 years.2 This recommendation is particularly important for those of Asian, African, Afro-Caribbean, or Middle Eastern origin with reduced exposure to sunlight.3

The public is not receiving this message so clearly. The NHS Direct website is not specific and is ambiguous about the need for vitamin supplements (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=1122). The recommendations are laid out more clearly as a . . . [Full text of this article]

Scott Williamson, specialist registrar, Stephen Greene, consultant paediatrician

Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY

s.y.williamson@dundee.ac.uk


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Relevant Article

Lesson of the week: Florid rickets associated with prolonged breast feeding without vitamin D supplementation
M Z Mughal, H Salama, T Greenaway, I Laing, and E B Mawer
BMJ 1999 318: 39-40. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

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Vitamin D Deficiency – failing to prevent the preventable
Alice Roueché, et al.
bmj.com, 8 Jul 2007 [Full text]
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