Vitamin D deficiency rickets in breast-fed infants presenting with hypocalcaemic seizures.
At the Aga Khan Hospital (AKUH), 65 infants presented with hypocalcaemic seizures, subsequently found to have rickets. Forty-six infants less than 6 months were totally or predominantly breast fed. In a subgroup of 15 mothers and their infants, we found very low plasma levels of 25(OH) vitamin D of < 5 micrograms/l and 7.5 +/- 3.3 micrograms/l, respectively. Neither mothers nor infants received vitamin D supplementation. Maternal vitamin D deficiency and non-supplementation in the infants were the likely causes of rickets in our patients. Prophylactic vitamin D 400 i.u. administered to infants up to 2 years and 800 i.u. to women in pregnancy and during lactation is recommended to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
D001942:Breast Feeding; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012279:Rickets / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000209:etiology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis