Rickets is the softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency. Rare inherited problems also can cause rickets. Vitamin D helps your child's body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food.
Not enough vitamin D makes it difficult to maintain proper calcium and phosphorus levels in bones, which can cause rickets. Adding vitamin D or calcium to the diet generally corrects the bone problems associated with rickets. When rickets is due to another underlying medical problem, your child may need additional medications or other treatment. Some skeletal deformities caused by rickets may require corrective surgery. Rare inherited disorders related to low levels of phosphorus, the other mineral component in bone, may require other medications.
Because rickets softens the areas of growing tissue at the ends of a child's bones growth plates , it can cause skeletal deformities such as:. Talk to your doctor if your child develops bone pain, muscle weakness or obvious skeletal deformities.
Your child's body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphorus from food. Rickets can occur if your child's body doesn't get enough vitamin D or if his or her body has problems using vitamin D properly.
Occasionally, not getting enough calcium or lack of calcium and vitamin D can cause rickets. Some children are born with or develop medical conditions that affect the way their bodies absorb vitamin D.
