A small dimple on the crown of the child - the fontanel - performs an important task during the birth of the baby. And even after birth she is given a serious role, and at the same time - Special attention mothers and doctors.

Shape and size of a newborn's head

The head shape of newborn babies can be not only round, but also elongated, flattened, ovoid - and all these options are considered the norm. Why is this happening?

By the time they are born, the skull bones of babies are not yet very dense (they will have to completely harden during the first year of life), and the seams between them have not yet had time to heal. During birth, the bones overlap each other, allowing the baby to move out more easily. That's why after natural birth The shape of the head, as a rule, is slightly elongated, and in small “caesareans” it is smooth and rounded. Due to the vicissitudes of traveling through the birth canal, a baby may be born with an asymmetrical head, and sometimes also with a lump (cephalohematoma) or edema (the so-called birth edema).

At birth, the baby's head is approximately 2 cm larger in circumference than the chest. But it happens that these sizes increase even more: this happens if cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the cranial cavity. Then the upper part becomes larger than the lower part, a heavy forehead hangs over the eyes and nose, and doctors talk about hydrocephalus. This problem can arise if during pregnancy a woman suffered a severe infection that affected the unborn baby. In this case, doctors will immediately begin treatment of the child, and in a few months his head may approach normal size.

The situation is considered more serious when the newborn, on the contrary, has a too small head (microcephaly). Sometimes this happens due to genetic disorders that will prevent the baby from developing normally. Fortunately, in many cases the reason for the unusual shape or size of the head turns out to be much simpler: the child can inherit all these features from his parents.

Only a doctor can correctly assess the baby’s head circumference, so there is no point in parents arming themselves with a centimeter themselves. But this indicator will tell specialists whether the child’s brain is developing correctly.

Normally, newborns have a head circumference of 34-36 cm. At first, the head grows quite quickly, by about 1.5 cm per month; after 3 months - by 0.5-1 cm and by 6 months it reaches 43 cm in girth. If the baby is far ahead of or behind the norm, this may indicate problems.

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The most wonderful event for a woman is the first meeting with her child, whom she carried within her for 9 months and all this time she only guessed what he would look like. But finally the moment of childbirth comes, and the long-awaited meeting takes place. Probably every mother carefully studies the appearance of her child, and if she pays attention to other babies, she will notice that not everyone has the same skull shape. In this regard, the question may arise: why?

Skull shapes in children

Doctors distinguish two main types of skull shapes in babies:

1. Dolichocephalic head shape. In this case, it has an oval and oblong shape.
2. Brachycephalic head shape. With it, the skull has a rounded shape.

These forms are considered normal in medicine.

Reasons for deviations

In general, there are several reasons why children are born with in different forms heads. First of all, it depends on how the baby was born. And today there are two ways of childbirth:

• natural;
• C-section.

The fact is that when a child moves through the birth canal, he is under pressure. During this process, the baby’s skull adapts to the structure of the mother’s organs, and a dolichocephalic head shape is formed. The skull can change its shape thanks to the fontanelle and elastic membranes that connect its bones in a baby. Therefore, the dolichocephalic head shape is more common in those newborns who were born naturally.

It is also believed that the elongated shape of the skull in the fetus is formed during an occipital presentation. This happens when the baby in question is the first to pass through the birth canal during the birth process.

Children born by method caesarean section, are not subjected to pressure, so the skull retains its original round, brachycephalic shape. Interestingly, the dolichocephalic shape of a newborn’s head is considered more acceptable of these two norms. After all, with the natural birth of a child, the whole organism of the newborn is launched.

With a caesarean section, especially when it is planned and started without waiting for the onset of labor, natural initiation does not occur in the newborn’s body. Therefore, in babies who were born using this method, adaptation to life outside the womb may occur somewhat differently than in children born naturally.

Pathological forms of the skull of newborns

There are several pathological forms of the skull of newborns:

1. Plagiocephaly, or "flat head". With this pathology, the frontal or flattened, and the head is asymmetrical.
2. Acrocephaly. With this pathology, newborns have a conical, elongated head shape. The sutures of the skull bones close prematurely.
3. Scaphocephaly. It is characterized by the fact that with it early ossification of the skull occurs, and its frontal or occipital parts can protrude significantly.

Head circumference in newborns

Not only the weight and height of the newborn matters, but also the size of the head, as well as its circumference. These indicators can tell doctors a lot about the physical condition of the newborn child.

The size and circumference of the head is measured with a soft measuring tape at the most convex places - the back of the head and eyebrow lines. The head circumference of a newborn is measured from the second to the fourth day of his life, after the disappearance of postpartum edema.

A circumference of 35 centimeters is considered the norm, but a fluctuation from 32 to 38 cm is the norm for deviation. With any of these indicators, the head circumference of children is 2.5 cm greater than the chest size. When the baby turns 5 months old, the mentioned indicators should become equal. And by one year, the child’s chest should already exceed the head circumference by the same 2.5 cm.

If after measurements it becomes obvious that there is a deviation, this indicates a possible pathology. To determine it more accurately, you need to know in which direction the deviation is - more or less.

Hydrocephalus

There are several types of possible pathologies. One of them is a disease such as hydrocephalus (or, in other words, dropsy). With this disease, there is an increase in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the child’s skull.

Photos of newborn children with this problem clearly show that the size of the head is greatly increased, the brain region has larger size in comparison with the facial one, and the frontal part protrudes strongly forward. The accumulation of this fluid leads to an increase in intracranial pressure.

Symptoms of hydrocephalus

Symptoms of dropsy, or hydrocephalus, are:

• increase in head circumference;
• the baby’s skull continues to grow after birth;
• he is irritable, lethargic, whiny, and at times, on the contrary, becomes aggressive;
• the baby may experience headaches;
• he often experiences nausea and vomiting;
• doctors usually detect changes in the fundus;
• epileptic seizures are possible;
• urinary incontinence.

If a child is diagnosed with hydrocephalus, then he must be shown to a neurosurgeon. Most often, this disease is treated surgically, and the neurosurgeon, after examination and a thorough examination, gives indications or contraindications for the upcoming operation.

After successful surgery, the disease usually does not progress. The child can attend regular preschool institutions(kindergartens) and school with their peers. Sometimes treatment is carried out without surgery, using drugs that reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid. At the same time, the shape of the skull gradually returns to normal.

Microcephaly

The second type of possible disease is microcephaly. With it, there is a decrease in brain mass in a newborn, in contrast to healthy children, and an associated decrease in the size of the head circumference.

There are many reasons that provoke the development of this disease. These can be various infectious diseases suffered during pregnancy, intoxication of the fetus in the womb with alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Such effects are especially dangerous in the early stages of pregnancy, when all the organs and systems of the child are just being formed.

The use of certain antibiotics during pregnancy has a negative effect. The influence of radioactive radiation, toxic poisoning of the fetus, genetic abnormalities can also cause the development of microcephaly in newborns. In this case, the child’s skull will be noticeably smaller compared to children without pathology.

Symptoms of microcephaly

Microcephaly of a newborn can be recognized even visually, without additional examinations. This disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. The head circumference of a newborn is 2-3 times smaller than the norm. If in healthy children it is 32-38 cm, then in newborns with microcephaly this figure is only 25-27 centimeters. Photos of newborn children with microcephaly show that the shape of their skull is changed - the child’s face grows, but the head itself remains small.
2. The weight of the brain in healthy children is approximately 400 g, and in newborns with microcephaly it fluctuates around 250 g.
3. Frequent companions of this disease are such deviations as “cleft lip”, strabismus, “cleft palate”.
4. Children with microcephaly are born with a closed fontanel, or its closure occurs in the first month of life.
5. The baby is noticeably lagging behind emotionally and speech development. At the same time, he not only cannot reproduce words and sounds himself, but also practically does not understand the speech spoken by others.

Microcephaly is currently, unfortunately, an incurable disease. Treatment is mainly aimed at reducing the development of defects.

Macrocephaly

Another type of possible pathology is macrocephaly. In medicine, this is the name for an increase in the volume of the skull and the weight of the brain in the absence of dropsy. With this disease, the weight of the brain can reach 2850 grams. This pathology can be asymptomatic, and the appearance of the brain is practically no different from normal.

Macrocephaly is a congenital disorder, but can sometimes occur after birth. Unfortunately, the reasons why it occurs are currently unknown.

Even if your newborn has a dolichocephalic head shape and there are no abnormalities or pathologies in the shape of the skull, it is necessary to properly care for the baby to prevent the appearance of postpartum pathologies. The fact is that the skull bones of recently born babies are relatively soft and not hardened, so when the baby lies in one position for a long time, the skull bones become deformed, and the head eventually takes on an irregular shape. In order for the dolichocephalic shape of the fetal head to change, in the first 12 weeks of life, parents need to change the position of the newborn as often as possible, each time placing him on the other side.

In the third month of life, premature, frequently ill infants or those who are on breastfeeding, rickets may begin. The main cause of this disease is a deficiency of vitamin D in the body, which promotes the absorption of phosphorus and calcium, which is of great importance for the full functioning of the baby’s nervous system and the development of his bone tissue.

Description of the disease

This disease has three stages of development. A mild degree involves minor changes in the infant’s muscular and nervous systems. The second is characterized by moderate, but at the same time distinct deformations of the chest, skull, and limbs of the infant. It also entails minor changes in the nervous, muscular, skeletal and hematopoietic systems, some dysfunction internal organs, in infants the spleen and liver may increase in size, and anemia may occur. Severe disease is characterized by pronounced changes in the above-mentioned body systems. Due to the fact that deformation of the chest occurs, the baby is always in a state of hypoventilation. Therefore, he may experience shortness of breath, harsh breathing, accompanied by an extended exhalation. In addition, wet or dry wheezing is possible.

Often, infants experience classic rickets, caused by a deficiency of vitamin D in their body, which provokes a disorder of phosphorus-calcium metabolism. As a result, it leads to thinning and softening of bone tissue, deterioration of the functioning of internal organs and the nervous system.

As a rule, the onset and exacerbation of the disease can be observed in winter, early spring, and late autumn.

First symptoms

The first signs of rickets in infants are associated with functional changes in the nervous system. The baby becomes restless, irritable, and cries often. A baby with rickets may flinch at any loud sound or react to a sudden flash of light.

A sick child experiences excessive sweating, especially at night, and also during feeding. Even if the room is not hot and the baby is lightly dressed, his body becomes damp, and the baby’s feet and palms sweat. At the same time, the sweat itself has an unpleasant, slightly sour odor, it can irritate the skin and cause itching.

Experiencing these uncomfortable sensations, the baby begins to rub his head on the pillow, which causes the hair on the back of his head to fall out, and the child develops a rickety “bald spot.”

Rickets in infants can lead to damage to the chest and skull. In the initial stages of the disease, the first sign of damage to the baby’s skeletal system is soft, pliable occipital, parietal, and in some cases, frontal and temporal bones, as well as the edges of the small and large fontanelles. Similar softened areas can also be found on the surface of the cranial sutures.

This disease develops quite quickly in infants, so a couple of weeks after the first signs of the disease appear, it enters the peak stage, which is called “blooming rickets.” Then there is an increase in the parietal and frontal tubercles, the baby’s head becomes square shape with a pronounced “Olympic” forehead.

A child with rickets has soft and curved ribs, a deformed and compressed chest on the sides. The appearance of a so-called rachitic hump is possible. In the future, the baby may experience all kinds of deformations of the tubular bones. At the same time, the phalanges of the fingers (“strings of pearls”) and the bones of the forearm (“rickets bracelets”) become thicker, the bones of the pelvis and lower extremities become deformed, the legs look like the letter O. If the baby is not treated in time, changes caused by rickets can progress in the second and even third year of life. In such cases, changes in the skeleton remain with him for life.

In addition to deformations of the skeletal system, a sick child experiences slower growth of teeth, failure of the lungs and heart, and disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, which are often accompanied by constipation. In this case, vegetative-vascular changes (increased sweating, marbled skin color) may also be observed.

As a rule, infants with rickets lag behind their peers in development; they later begin to sit and walk, are prone to colds, and often suffer from pneumonia. Therefore, when a mother notices the first signs of this disease in her baby, she should immediately contact a pediatrician, who will select the optimal dose of vitamin D for the baby.

Prevention

In most cases, to prevent this disease, doctors prescribe vitamin D to infants. The preventive and safest dose of vitamin D is about 500 IU. It is able to meet the needs of the baby's growing body. For this, aqueous and oil solutions are used. The former are less toxic than the latter, therefore, if your baby’s doctor has prescribed a large dose of vitamin D, then it is better to give preference to them.

The most effective is vitamin D3, since it is provitamin D, which stimulates the production of vitamin D in the baby’s body.

Vitamin D as a preventative measure can be given to a child continuously over a long period of time, best from late autumn until spring. The drugs should be given to infants during meals, preferably with breakfast. If the doctor has prescribed a sufficiently high dose of vitamin for your baby, you should take short breaks between medications after each month of taking vitamin D.

But never give your baby a vitamin supplement without first consulting your doctor. As a rule, when treating a disease, vitamin D is prescribed individually for each infant, in combination with other medications. It will not hurt mothers to know that the physiological requirement for vitamin D for a full-term baby up to one year is about 400-500 IU per day.

After all, the first month of a child’s life becomes for him the first critical period after birth: it is characterized by the intense work of all organs and systems of the body, “responsible” for the adaptation (adaptation) of the newborn to conditions that are fundamentally new for him environment. By the end of this period, all transition processes should be completed, however, under the influence of unfavorable environmental conditions, with aggravated pregnancy and childbirth, the natural adaptation processes for a newborn can take on a pathological direction and lead to a neurological disease of the child.

It is at this time that it is necessary to visit a neurologist for the first time - usually just to make sure that everything is fine with the baby; but if this is not the case, in order to identify and “capture” the pathology at the very beginning, to prevent the disease from developing. To determine the level of development of the child and exclude neurological pathology, it is important not only to assess the formed reactions to light, sound, motor and psycho-emotional activity of the newborn, but also his appearance (in fact, it is this last topic that my article will mainly be devoted to).

So, what will a neurologist first of all pay attention to when examining a one-month-old baby? On the shape and size of his skull, facial expression, posture, appearance of the skin. Why is this so important? Why are our worries and experiences often associated with the presence of deviations from the outside? appearance child, especially if it is a change in the shape and size of the skull? This is primarily due to the fact that such changes can be a diagnostic sign serious illnesses- hydrocephalus and microcephaly.

The shape and size of the skull is a possible pathology

Hydrocephalus - this is an excessive increase in the size of the skull and fontanelles, caused by an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranial cavity. With this disease, the shape of the skull also changes - its cerebral part significantly predominates over the facial part, the frontal part protrudes sharply forward, and a pronounced venous network is observed in the area of ​​the temples and forehead.

Microcephaly - this is a reduction in the size of the skull and early closure of the fontanelles. With congenital microcephaly, the size of the skull is small from birth, the cranial sutures are narrowed, the fontanelles are either closed or small in size. Subsequently, a slow rate of growth in head circumference is noted, so that sometimes a 2-3 year old child’s skull size is almost the same as at birth. With microcephaly, the skull has a specific shape: the cerebral part of the skull is smaller than the facial part, the forehead is small, sloping, the line of the forehead and nose is sloping.

Conditions such as hydro- and microcephaly further lead to mental and mental retardation. physical development and therefore require correction from the very beginning early age!

...or a reason for further examination?

But should every deviation from the norm clearly indicate a pathological condition? Of course not! Clinical observations show that there are many factors that influence the shape and size of the head. Of course, even a slight increase or decrease in the circumference of the skull in a newborn compared to the age norm can be considered a risk factor for the development of hydrocephalus or microcephaly, but you should not panic when you discover that the baby’s head is slightly larger or smaller than normal: this circumstance should first of all, become a signal for the need for additional examinations to exclude pathological conditions. What kind of examinations are these?

• An absolutely safe and reliable method is neurosonography (ultrasonography brain through the large fontanelle). This study will help not only to see changes in the structure of the brain and signs of increased intracranial pressure, but also to evaluate blood flow through the main vessels of the brain.
• An even more reliable method is nuclear magnetic resonance of the brain (NMR), but this study for children is carried out under general anesthesia, so it is carried out only for sufficiently compelling indications.
• IN in this case Consultations with an ophthalmologist and neurosurgeon are also necessary.

"Homework" for parents

In addition, right from birth you can independently control increase in baby's head circumference, which is one of the main indicators of normality and pathology. How to do this correctly?

• Measure the child's head circumference weekly and record the resulting numbers in a specially kept notebook.
• When measuring, place the measuring tape at the most protruding points of the skull (frontal and occipital protuberances).
• To avoid misunderstandings, the measurement must be carried out by the same person.

In addition to the increase in head circumference, you can control increase in chest circumference, which is one of the general anthropometric indicators of child development. For this:

• Measure your chest circumference weekly on the same day you measure your head circumference;
• Place the measuring tape at the level of the baby's nipple line.

Why is such “amateur activity” needed? By taking these simple measurements, you will help the doctor draw up an objective picture of the child’s development, and you yourself can have peace of mind, excluding the possibility of developing serious diseases (normally, the monthly increase in head circumference in the first three months of a full-term baby should not exceed 2 cm per month; up to a year, the circumference The chest is approximately 1 cm larger than the child’s head circumference).

Well, now a few words about what can and should be normal and what is pathological. I tried to frame the conversation on this topic in the form of answers to questions that most often concern young parents.

What determines the shape of a newborn’s skull?

Normally, as a child passes through the birth canal, the bones of the skull overlap each other. Features of the course of the birth process affect changes in the shape of the skull. In the event of a complicated birth, a sharp juxtaposition of the skull bones may occur on top of each other, and this will lead to its deformation, which will persist for quite a long time.

A change in the shape of the skull can be expressed in the preservation swelling soft tissues of the head in the place where the child moved forward along the birth canal. The swelling disappears within the first 2-3 days. Cephalohematoma(hemorrhage under the periosteum) also changes the shape of the skull. It resolves more slowly than swelling, and this process requires the supervision of specialists (neurologist, surgeon).

Changes in the shape of the skull are also associated with age characteristics. In a newborn, the skull is elongated in the anteroposterior direction, and after a few months the transverse size of the skull will increase and its shape will change.

Some change in the shape and size of the skull can also occur during normal development in premature babies, or when the child is often placed on the same side, or when the child lies on his back for a long time.

How does a newborn's head grow?

The average head circumference of a newborn is 35.5 cm (the range of 33.0-37.5 cm is considered normal). The most intensive increase in head circumference in full-term babies is observed in the first 3 months - on average, 1.5 cm for each month. Then the growth decreases slightly, and by the age of one year the child’s head circumference is on average 46.6 cm (normal limits are 44.9 - 48.9 cm).

The head circumference of a premature baby increases faster than that of a full-term baby, and the increase is most pronounced during the period of active weight gain, and by the end of the 1st year of life it reaches normal values. The exception is very premature babies.

However, one should always keep in mind that even with normal development of a child, there may be physiological deviations from average values, which are often associated with constitutional characteristics or environmental influences.

What is a fontanel in a child?

The fontanelles are located in the area where the bones of the skull meet. Front, big , the fontanel is located between the frontal and parietal bones. At birth, it measures from 2.5 to 3.5 cm, then gradually decreases by 6 months and closes at 8-16 months. Rear, small , the fontanel is located between the parietal and occipital bones. It is small in size and closes by 2-3 months of life.

In pathological processes accompanied by increased intracranial pressure, the fontanelles close later, and sometimes they open again. Small sizes of the anterior fontanel may be a variant of the norm if they are not accompanied by a decrease in the circumference of the skull, the rate of its growth and a delay in psychomotor development.

The above characteristics do not limit the diversity possible options abnormalities in a young child. However, it should be kept in mind that any unusual option The appearance of a child requires a thorough examination and monitoring of his growth and development.

When and how should a neurologist examine a child?

Early child development is very sensitive sign state of the body. It depends both on hereditary characteristics and on a complex complex social conditions and requires dynamic monitoring by doctors. Don’t forget to show your baby to specialists within the prescribed time frame - 1, 3, 6, 12 months!

If you invite a specialist to your home, you must consider the following:

• the examination of the child should be carried out on a changing table or other soft, but not sagging surface;
• the environment should be calm, eliminate distractions if possible;
• It is advisable to carry out the examination 1.5-2 hours after feeding;
• the air temperature in the room should be about 25° C, the lighting should be bright, but not irritating.

In conclusion of the article, I would like to remind you once again: do not delay your visit to a neurologist, remember - the timeliness of all health-improving, preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at ensuring its normal development depends on the correct assessment of the newborn’s health, and only a specialist can give a correct assessment!

Many doctors claim that congenital rickets does not exist. Based on this, it can be argued that if at birth the baby exhibits any abnormalities in the skeletal system, then this is a consequence of another congenital disease. Quite often, rickets manifests itself in infants, and to prevent the disease from progressing over time, it is necessary to determine its onset as early as possible. This can be done by characteristic features which can be seen in children under one year of age.

In infants, rickets can be divided into several stages, namely the period of initial manifestations, the active phase of the disease or its height, as well as the period of residual effects. Each of these stages has its own symptoms and signs.. If they are detected, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist as quickly as possible, and the sooner this is done, the faster the disease can be dealt with.

Sometimes rickets in children is called the “English” disease. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the last century in industrialized England there was an outbreak of this disease in children, which was characterized by mass mortality.

Initial manifestations of rickets in infants

Baldness in the back of the head is one of the signs of rickets

The first symptoms of the disease can be detected in a baby at the age of three months, however, in some cases, manifestations are observed for more than early. Many doctors note the connection of this stage of the disease with sudden weight gain or an unexpectedly emerging infectious disease. Typically, the initial stage lasts up to four weeks.

Parents at the initial stage may notice increased sweating in their baby, especially in the head area. When a child sleeps, his pillow becomes very wet. In addition, active sweating is observed during eating or sucking, as well as during games. Gradually, baldness can be noticed on the back of the child’s head, and his reaction to noise increases. Those everyday sounds that previously did not cause any reaction in him can now make him wake up.

In addition, at the initial stage of rickets, in addition to the main symptoms that a non-specialist can notice, the baby experiences a fairly significant softening of the bone tissue. You can feel this by the large fontanelle, the edges of which become soft. Also, softening occurs in the rib joint, and the formation of tubular bones slows down significantly.

Symptoms during the height of the disease

One of the signs of rickets is irritability

This stage of rickets is characterized by increased bone formation. At this moment, various bone deformations may appear, and disturbances in the baby’s nervous system may also occur. Sometimes the functioning of some internal organs and the hematopoietic system is disrupted. During this period, mild, moderate and severe degrees of rickets can be observed in the child.

Recent studies have shown that rickets may be hereditary. It is noted that children with the second blood group are most susceptible to this disease, and boys get sick much more often than girls.

In infants, you can observe bone deformation, which boils down to curvature of the collarbone and shins. Bone growths gradually form in the area of ​​the wrist, sternoclavicular joints and ankles. Depressed areas or, conversely, bulges form on the baby’s sternum, as well as a transverse groove on the chest. Some changes also occur with the head, which takes on an angular shape.. The child's forehead is characterized by an abnormal convexity; in addition, deformation of the hard palate and jaw arches occurs. In children with rickets, teeth erupt unevenly and late.

A decrease in muscle tone, indicating rickets in a baby, can be noticed by the child’s refusal to exhibit normal motor activity, as well as some motor delays. During this period, sick children begin to gradually lag behind in terms of turning over, sitting, and so on. There is incorrect formation of posture, as well as hypermobility of joints.

A decrease in muscle tone affects not only the shape of the legs, but also the posture

The baby's nervous system suffers significantly and this manifests itself in increased excitability and severe irritability. The child's sleep becomes restless and interrupted. Children with rickets begin to lose some of the skills they have already acquired, and their ability to learn decreases. Malfunctions in the functioning of internal organs occur, the autonomic system is marked with red dermographism.

The most noticeable sign of rickets in infants is decreased appetite. At this point, complete refusal of the breast or formula may occur. Feeding a child is becoming more and more difficult. Even longer intervals between feedings do not help. Gradually, muscle flaccidity and an increase in oxygen starvation of an anemic type begin to affect. The baby's skin becomes pale and he becomes easily tired and lethargic. Dwarfism may indicate rickets in an infant. Many bone tissues are subject to deformation, which leads to curvature of the limbs.

Residual manifestations of rickets in children

This stage of the disease is characterized by significant deformity of the skeleton and teeth, short stature baby, fermentopathy. One can observe a clear underdevelopment of the muscular frame, as well as insufficient for this age psychomotor development. If you don't pay attention in time obvious signs rickets, its consequences can last a lifetime. If you notice the first symptoms of rickets in a child, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, who will prescribe effective therapy.