Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Nutritional rickets is a disorder of bone affecting children early in their life. It tends to be under diagnosed and under treated especially in the primary health care centres. Aims &
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of children those attend the North West Armed Forced Hospital, Well Baby Clinic and to find the association between the rickets and certain variables.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in North West Armed Forces Hospital (NWAFH), Saudi Arabia by using questionnaire.
Results: The sample was included 114 infants their age ranged between 9-12 months, we was interviewed their mothers using a questionnaire and measuring the serum level of Alkaline phosphate, Calcium and phosphate in infants. The results of this study showed that the prevalence rate of rickets was 3.5% and all rachitic infants were breast-fed compared with 17.3% in non-rachitic infants. Also the height of the child at the time of interview was lowered in rachitic infants comparing with non-rachitic infants. Other studied risk factors were not significant. Conclusion: The rickets was quite existed among Saudi children attending NWAFH-WBC. For that, increase awareness of primary health care physicians about rickets, diagnosis and management were recommended.