Adult rickets, or osteomalacia, is caused by a lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D regulates the body's use of calcium and phosphorous, crucial for bone health. A diet low in vitamin D, lack of exposure to sunlight (which the body uses to make vitamin D), lack of phosphates or calcium in the diet, and some conditions like cancer, kidney failure or liver disease may put you at risk for osteomalacia.
Rickets
Rickets, while now a rare disease, can result in weak and pliable bones. The primary cause of rickets is vitamin D deficiency. In the past, the disease mainly afflicted children who weren't getting proper nutrition or sunlight. Rickets can lead to bone deformity, like bowed legs. This disease is still a concern for those with a poor diet or elderly people not getting enough vitamin D.
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Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Rickets is a vitamin D deficiency disease that occurs in children. The bones of children with rickets aren’t adequately mineralized with calcium and phosphorus, which causes them to weaken. Because of their “soft bones,” these children develop bowed legs, since they are unable to hold up their own body weight when they are standing upright.
Both vitamin D and calcium are needed for bone health.
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Sigma Nursing answeredRickets is the result of a lack of vitamin D in the body, which leads to a phosphorus and calcium imbalance in the bloodstream. Because vitamin D helps to control and regulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the body, if vitamin D is deficient, these minerals will not absorb properly. In order to compensate for the low levels of phosphorus and calcium, the body begins to take these minerals from the bones. The bones become soft and weak. You can get vitamin D through the food you eat or from exposure to sunlight. Rarely, a hereditary condition known as hypophosphatemic rickets inhibits the kidney's ability to retain phosphate, causing rickets.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Rickets affects a child's bones and teeth. However, the symptoms develop gradually. Children may experience pain in the legs, pelvis, and spine, and their teeth may grow slowly or abnormally. Rickets makes the bones weak, which may cause fractures and stunted growth. Bowing in the legs, curving in the spine, and other bone deformities may also develop.
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Sigma Nursing answered
The two areas of the body most affected by rickets are the bones and the teeth, both of which rely on calcium and phosphorus for healthy growth. As rickets develops, children may experience aches and pains in their spine, legs, or pelvis. The limbs, especially the legs, do not grow properly, which can lead to bowing and stunted growth. Children are more prone to cavities and other dental issues. Weak bones make fractures more likely, too.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Rickets is diagnosed through blood tests, x-rays, and a physical exam. Blood tests that screen for levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D are the most common tests for rickets. Through a physical examination, the doctor will confirm that the pain you feel is bone pain, not muscle or joint pain. Looking for abnormal bone or teeth growth is also common when diagnosing rickets.
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Sigma Nursing answered
If you suspect that your child might be experiencing any of the symptoms of rickets, you should consult your physician for further testing. Your doctor can determine if your child has rickets or another condition and recommend treatment options. Because symptoms develop gradually, it is important to diagnose rickets as early as possible.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Depending on the cause of a child's rickets, treatment options may vary. If a vitamin D deficiency is the cause, increasing vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus intake through dietary changes or supplements can help improve symptoms relatively quickly. Increased exposure to sunlight may also be suggested. If another disorder is the cause, doctors will work to treat this condition to help the rickets' symptoms.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Medications are not usually given to treat rickets. The aim of treatment is to replenish vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus in the body through dietary changes and supplements. Hypophosphatemic rickets, which is a hereditary condition, usually requires supplements of phosphorus and an active form of vitamin D. Occasionally surgery is required to address skeletal deformities.
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Sigma Nursing answered
In most cases, rickets is preventable by maintaining proper levels of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus in the body. This is usually accomplished through proper diet and moderate exposure to sunlight. For infants, who should avoid sunlight and who may be breastfeeding, a daily dose of 400 international units of vitamin D is recommended beginning within the first two months. Preventing rickets may be more difficult for someone with hypophosphatemic rickets, a hereditary condition that affects how the kidney processes phosphorus. In these cases, proper medical attention should be sought to avoid complications.