No 10 steps back from cousins row

BBC NEWS | Politics | No 10 steps back from cousins row: "Mrs Cryer raised the issue two years ago after research showed British Pakistanis were 13 times more likely to have children with recessive disorders than the general population.

'The vast majority of marriages in the Muslim community of Bradford, 80% are trans-continental and the majority of those are to cousins and many of those do result in either infant mortality or recessive disorders that I have seen,' she told Today."

So, anyone up for patient education?

Halal Healthspan

Halal | Healthspan

Some supplements that are not listed halal are also suitable, eg. the Vitamin D.

Florid rickets associated with prolonged breast feeding without vitamin D supplementation

Lesson of the week: Florid rickets associated with prolonged breast feeding without vitamin D supplementation -- Mughal et al. 318 (7175): 39 -- BMJ

I saw a friend last week, she is white, her husband is from Ghana. I was shocked to find out that her 16 month old daughter had florid rickets!

The mother's vitamin D level was normal and the child was being breastfed. I find it so hard to believe that rickets is still around in 2008 and think it's a public health problem being ignored. There is little national guidance as to prevention and treatment for health professionals, resulting in little or no explanation to patients, except a mention by the health visitor which often goes ignored.

I routinely start all babies at risk on Abidec or Dalivit, and tell the mother to supplement her diet too, especially if she is breastfeeding.