Genetic counseling may help people who have a family history of inherited disorders that can cause rickets. Rickets and osteomalacia. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Disorders of mineralization. Endocrinology: Adult and Pediatric. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; chap Greenbaum LA. Vitamin D deficiency rickets and excess. In: Kliegman RM, St. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.
Weinstein RS. Osteomalacia and rickets. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Updated by: Neil K. Editorial team. Lack of vitamin D production by the skin may occur in people who: Live in climates with little exposure to sunlight Must stay indoors Work indoors during the daylight hours You may not get enough vitamin D from your diet if you: Are lactose intolerant have trouble digesting milk products DO NOT drink milk products Follow a vegetarian diet Infants who are breastfed only may develop vitamin D deficiency.
Symptoms of rickets include: Bone pain or tenderness in the arms, legs, pelvis, and spine Decreased muscle tone loss of muscle strength and weakness that gets worse Dental deformities, including delayed tooth formation, defects in the tooth structure, holes in the enamel, and increased cavities dental caries Impaired growth Increased bone fractures Muscle cramps Short stature adults less than 5 feet or 1. Exams and Tests.
A physical exam reveals tenderness or pain in the bones, but not in the joints or muscles. Outlook Prognosis. Possible Complications. Possible complications are: Long-term chronic skeletal pain Skeletal deformities Skeletal fractures, may occur without cause. When to Contact a Medical Professional. Deformities can also become permanent if the disorder goes untreated.
Your doctor may be able to diagnose rickets by performing a physical examination. They will check for tenderness or pain in the bones by lightly pressing on them.
Your doctor may also order certain tests to help make a rickets diagnosis, including:. In rare cases, a bone biopsy will be performed. This involves the removal of a very small section of bone, which will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Treatment for rickets focuses on replacing the missing vitamin or mineral in the body.
This will eliminate most of the symptoms associated with rickets. If your child has a vitamin D deficiency, your doctor will likely want them to increase their exposure to sunlight, if possible. They will also encourage them to consume food products high in vitamin D, such as fish, liver, milk, and eggs.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements can also be used to treat rickets. Ask your doctor about the correct dosage, as it can vary based on the size of your child. Too much vitamin D or calcium can be unsafe. If skeletal deformities are present, your child may need braces to position their bones correctly as they grow. In severe cases, your child may need corrective surgery.
For hereditary rickets, a combination of phosphate supplements and high levels of a special form of vitamin D are required to treat the disease. Increasing vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate levels will help correct the disorder. Most children with rickets see improvements in about one week. Skeletal deformities will often improve or disappear over time if rickets is corrected while the child is still young. The best way to prevent rickets is to eat a diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D.
People with kidney disorders should have their calcium and phosphate levels monitored on a regular basis by their doctors. Rickets can also be prevented with moderate sun exposure. According to the National Health Service of England NHS , you only need to expose your hands and face to sunlight a few times a week during the spring and summer months to prevent rickets.
Vitamin D largely comes from exposing the skin to sunlight, but it's also found in some foods, such as oily fish and eggs. Vitamin D is essential for the formation of strong and healthy bones in children.
In rare cases, children can be born with a genetic form of rickets. It can also develop if another condition affects how vitamins and minerals are absorbed by the body.
Read more about the causes of rickets. Rickets was common in the past, but it mostly disappeared in the western world during the early 20th century after foods like margarine and cereal were fortified with vitamin D.
However, in recent years, there's been an increase in cases of rickets in the UK. The number of rickets cases is still relatively small, but studies have shown a significant number of people in the UK have low levels of vitamin D in their blood. Any child who doesn't get enough vitamin D or calcium either through their diet, or from sunlight, can develop rickets. But the condition is more common in children with dark skin, as this means they need more sunlight to get enough vitamin D, as well as children born prematurely or taking medication that interferes with vitamin D.
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