Nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets in Sudanese children.

Nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets was established in 41 Sudanese children aged from 3 months to 7 years by clinical, radiological and therapeutic response supported by biochemical investigations. There were 25 boys and 16 girls, of whom 42% were infants of less than 1 year. Forty-seven per cent of rachitic children were underweight. Six infants had early rickets with no bony swellings but had other clinical features and radiological evidence of rickets. One of them, aged 3 months, presented with hypocalcaemic convulsions. Three children had icthyosis. Serum alkaline phosphatase was raised in 75%, hypophosphataemia occurred in 68% and hypocalcaemia in 54% of patients. Anaemia, mostly hypochromic, was detected in 79%. Possible causes were poor socio-economic background, inadequate dietary intake in both mothers and children, prolonged breastfeeding, prematurity, limited sun exposure and type of residence. Nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets should be looked for in Sudanese children, especially in preterms and in those living in flats.