ABSTRACT
Vitamin D is necessary for normal bone growth. Deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. It is difficult to reach the recommended daily dose of vitamin D in children without cod liver oil or other vitamin D supplementation. Several cases of rickets have been diagnosed in Iceland the past few years. Studies suggest a worldwide increase in the prevalence of the disorder. We report on a girl who was diagnosed with rickets at the age of 27 months. She received inadequate amounts of vitamin D supplementation in the form of AD drops and cod liver oil. Because of food allergy she was on a restricted diet which limited her intake of dietary vitamin D. After diagnosis, she received a high-dose vitamin D therapy (Stoss therapy) which corrected the deficiency. Key words: rickets, food allergy, vitamin D.
Subject(s)
Dietary Supplements , Rickets/drug therapy , Vitamin D Deficiency/drug therapy , Vitamin D/administration & dosage , Vitamins/administration & dosage , Child, Preschool , Cod Liver Oil/administration & dosage , Female , Food Hypersensitivity/complications , Food Hypersensitivity/diet therapy , Humans , Nutrition Policy , Radiography , Rickets/diagnostic imaging , Rickets/etiology , Vitamin D Deficiency/complications , Vitamin D Deficiency/diagnosisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study is a part of EuroPrevall, an EU-funded European food allergy project. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of food allergy in Icelandic infants during their first year of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Infants (n=1,341) were followed prospectively from birth to 12 months of age. Questionnaires were obtained at birth and 12 months. Children with symptoms of possible food allergy were assessed with a skin-prick test (SPT) and specific IgE. Food allergy was confirmed with a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). RESULTS: Out of 170 symptomatic children 44 infants (3.27%) had either positive SPT (n=21; 1.57%) or specific IgE (n=40; 2.98%). Food allergy was confirmed in 25 (1.86%); egg allergy 1.42%, milk 0.52%, fish 0.22%, wheat 0.15%, peanuts 0.15%, and soy 0.07%. Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 7.90% (n=106) and according to questionnaires 8.80% had asthma (n=118). Positive family history was the strongest risk factor for asthma (OR=2.12; p<0.001) and atopic dermatitis (OR=1.90; p=0.004). Family history influenced the relationship between predisposing factors and allergy symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our results show lower prevalence of food allergy than previously reported in a study of Icelandic children at two years of age. The prevalence was also lower than reported in some other European countries and could be explained by different genetic and environmental factors.
