Nutrition: vitamin D treatment: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Nutrition: vitamin D treatment

Sample item

An 18-month-old with nutritional rickets has a normal calcium, low phosphate and high alkaline phosphatase. Which regimen is commonly used for treatment?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Vitamin D 300,000 to 600,000 IU as a single stoss dose or daily 2000 IU for 3 months with calcium

Nutritional rickets responds to cholecalciferol, either as a stoss dose of 300,000 to 600,000 IU or daily therapy of 2000 IU (for about 12 weeks), plus adequate dietary calcium. Healing shows on X-ray within 2 to 4 weeks. Maintenance of 400 IU daily follows.

Option by option

  • A. Phosphate supplements only

    Phosphate alone is for hypophosphataemic rickets.

  • B. Parathyroid hormone injections

    PTH injections are not used.

  • C. Vitamin D 300,000 to 600,000 IU as a single stoss dose or daily 2000 IU for 3 months with calcium (correct)

    Correct. Vitamin D with calcium treats nutritional rickets.

  • D. Calcitriol alone indefinitely

    Calcitriol alone is not first line in nutritional rickets.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is C, Vitamin D 300,000 to 600,000 IU as a single stoss dose or daily 2000 IU for 3 months with calcium. Nutritional rickets responds to cholecalciferol, either as a stoss dose of 300,000 to 600,000 IU or daily therapy of 2000 IU (for about 12 weeks), plus adequate dietary calcium.

Why is "Phosphate supplements only" not the answer?

Phosphate alone is for hypophosphataemic rickets.

Why is "Parathyroid hormone injections" not the answer?

PTH injections are not used.

Why is "Calcitriol alone indefinitely" not the answer?

Calcitriol alone is not first line in nutritional rickets.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nutrition: vitamin D treatment in Pediatrics. Healing shows on X-ray within 2 to 4 weeks. Maintenance of 400 IU daily follows.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nutrition: vitamin D treatment?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.