Rickets is a childhood disease in which the bones become soft, weak, and deformed because they do not get enough vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, which are essential for normal bone growth and mineralization. It most often causes bowed legs, delayed growth, bone pain, and skeletal deformities.

Rickets is a skeletal disorder that affects children, causing their bones to soften and weaken. It is most often caused by a severe and prolonged deficiency of vitamin D, which is essential for the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus.

Symptoms

Symptoms of rickets can include:

• Skeletal Deformities: The most well-known symptom is bowed legs or knock-knees. Other deformities can occur in the skull, spine, pelvis, and chest.
• Pain and Weakness: Children may experience pain or tenderness in their bones, as well as muscle weakness and cramps.
• Delayed Development: Rickets can lead to delayed growth, delayed motor skills (like crawling or walking), and problems with tooth development.
• Increased Fractures: Softened bones are more susceptible to fractures, even from minor falls.

Causes

The primary cause is a lack of vitamin D, but it can also be due to deficiencies in calcium or phosphate. The lack of vitamin D can be a result of:

• Insufficient Sunlight: The body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Children who get little sun exposure, such as those living in northern latitudes or who stay indoors most of the time, are at a higher risk.
• Diet: A diet lacking in vitamin D-rich foods (like fatty fish, eggs, and fortified milk or cereals) or calcium can also cause rickets.
• Genetics and Other Conditions: In rare cases, rickets can be caused by inherited genetic disorders or other health conditions that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D or phosphate.

Treatment

Rickets is usually treated by providing supplements of vitamin D and calcium and encouraging safe exposure to sunlight. In severe cases, a child may need braces or surgery to correct skeletal deformities.

Vitamin D supplementation

• Usually given as oral vitamin D drops or tablets (cholecalciferol D3).
• In severe cases, high-dose therapy under medical supervision may be used.

Calcium and phosphate supplements

• Added if the child also has a deficiency in these minerals.

Dietary improvement

• Foods rich in vitamin D (fortified milk, fish, eggs) and calcium (dairy, green leafy vegetables).

Sunlight exposure

• Safe sunlight exposure helps the body naturally produce vitamin D.

Treating underlying causes

• If rickets is due to kidney or liver disease (rare), additional medications or treatment may be required.

Braces or surgery (in severe cases)

• For correcting bone deformities if they do not improve with medical treatment.