What is it?
Rickets is caused by a lack of vitamin D and calcium in a child’s diet. Both are needed for children to develop strong bones. Any child who does not get enough vitamin D or calcium can develop rickets. It is more common in children of Asian, African-Caribbean and Middle Eastern origin because their skin is darker and needs more sunlight to get enough vitamin D. Babies born prematurely are also at risk of developing rickets because babies build up stores of vitamin D while in the womb.
Symptoms
Fragile bones, poor growth and skeletal deformities can all lead to changed appearances. Rickets can be the cause of dental problems which can lead to loss of teeth and pain.
Treatment
Treatment for rickets includes eating more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. Taking daily calcium and vitamin D supplements, having a vitamin D injection each year. These injections are only needed if the child cannot take supplements by mouth or suffers from intestinal or liver disease. Increased amount of time your child spends outside will also help reduce rickets because the sun helps to produce Vitamin D. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should take a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D to ensure that adequate amounts are built up for early infancy
How an unbalanced diet leads to the condition
An unbalanced diet can lead to rickets because you won’t get enough nutrients that is needed to keep the body healthy. In this case it is Vitamin D
Scurvy
What is it?
Scurvy is a rare condition cause from lack of Vitamin C within the body. Vitamin C is vital for the body. It is needed to make collagen which is a type of protein found in different types of tissue, such as skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage. Without vitamin C collagen can't be replaced and the tissue breaks down leading to symptoms of scurvy
Symptoms
Scurvy can lead to muscle pain, joint pain and it can also cause tiredness. People who suffer from