Case report of an infant with severe vitamin D deficiency rickets manifested as hypocalcemic seizures

Abstract

Generalized convulsions in the afebrile infant represent a serious and etiopathogenically very heterogeneous problem. Extremely rare, as in the case of our patient, it may be due to severe hypocalcemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin D.

Hypocalcaemia leading to supra ventricular tachycardia in a three-month old Sri Lankan infant with vitamin D deficient rickets: a case report

“…However, the peak incidence is between 3 to 18 months. Breast fed babies are more vulnerable due to the low levels in breast milk [2,3]. Our patient presented at 3 months of age, probably due to the fact that the mother was deficient in vitamin D and he was on exclusive breast feeding [2,3].…”

“…Hypocalcaemia during infancy can be due to many reasons. Vitamin D deficient rickets is one of them [2,3]. There are only a few reports regarding symptomatic hypocalcaemia due to nutritional rickets.…”

“…Despite being a tropical country with plenty of sunlight, nutritional rickets is not uncommon in Sri Lanka [5]. However, infants are protected due to maternal vitamin D, which is transmitted to the baby via breast milk during the early part of infancy provided the mother has adequate D stores [2]. Though, hypocalcaemia is a known consequence of vitamin D deficiency, it is typically not severe enough to be life threatening [2,3].…”

“…However, infants are protected due to maternal vitamin D, which is transmitted to the baby via breast milk during the early part of infancy provided the mother has adequate D stores [2]. Though, hypocalcaemia is a known consequence of vitamin D deficiency, it is typically not severe enough to be life threatening [2,3]. We report a Sri Lankan infant of 3 months, who had two episodes of supra ventricular tachycardia due to severe hypocalcaemia, caused by vitamin D deficient rickets.…”

Hypocalcemic Seizure Due to Severe Vitamin-D Deficiency in an Adolescent with Obesity and Autism

“…Hypocalcemic seizures as a presenting sign of VDD is commonly reported in infancy [17] but rarely seen in adolescents [18], periods of higher metabolic demand of calcium.…”