Rickets
Rickets is a condition that causes soft, weak bones in children, typically resulting from insufficient vitamin D, calcium, or phosphorus.
Overview
Rickets causes soft, weak bones in children. It usually occurs when children do not get enough vitamin D, which helps growing bones absorb the minerals calcium and phosphorus. The condition can also happen when calcium or phosphorus levels are too low. While rare in the United States, rickets can be dietary or inherited.
Causes & Risk Factors
Children may not get enough vitamin D due to various lifestyle, dietary, or medical factors. Risk factors include:
- Having dark skin
- Spending too little time outside
- Wearing sunscreen all the time when outdoors
- Not eating foods containing vitamin D due to lactose intolerance or a strict vegetarian diet
- Being breastfed without receiving vitamin D supplements
- Inability to make or use vitamin D due to a medical disorder such as celiac disease
In addition to dietary causes, children can also develop an inherited form of the disease.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of rickets include:
- Bone pain or tenderness
- Impaired growth
- Deformities of the bones and teeth
Diagnosis & Treatment
Doctors use lab and imaging tests to make a diagnosis. Treatment involves replacing the calcium, phosphorus, or vitamin D that are lacking in the diet.