Rickets: Signs And Symptoms

Rickets is a disorder that causes a person’s bones to become soft and weak. It is also known as osteomalacia in children. It is a result from not getting enough vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. Rickets is common in children ages six to twenty-four months old. It can be seen in people who live in areas with little sunlight exposure, people who do not consume enough milk products, and people who have kidney disorders. Symptoms of rickets include bone pain or sensitivity, impaired growth, skeletal malformations, and muscle cramps. Blood tests, bone biopsies, and bone x-rays can be done to determine if someone has rickets. After being diagnosed, a number of treatments can be done. Being exposed to more sunlight and consuming food containing vitamin
D like fish will help reduce a majority of the symptoms caused by rickets. Bracing may be used to prevent further bone deformities. Surgery may be required to fix some skeletal deformities.