Rickets: A Review of the Disease, Its Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Abstract
Rickets is a skeletal disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency, leading to a variety of bone and skeletal deformities. It is most common in young children and is associated with poverty and malnutrition. Rickets affects the growth and development of bones, leading to bow-leggedness, curved spines, and soft bones. This article reviews the signs and symptoms, causes, and treatments for rickets. Recent scientific evidence suggests that the use of vitamin D and calcium supplements, along with adequate sunlight exposure, can prevent and treat rickets.
Introduction
Rickets is a skeletal disorder that has been around for centuries, and is still a major health concern in many developing countries. It is most common in young children and is caused by a lack of vitamin D. Rickets is associated with poverty and malnutrition, and is characterized by a variety of bone and skeletal deformities. These deformities include bow-leggedness, curved spines, and soft bones. This article reviews the signs and symptoms, causes, and treatments for rickets.
Signs and Symptoms
The most common signs and symptoms of rickets include bowed legs, curved spine, and soft bones (Bassir, 2020). Other symptoms include delayed growth, muscle weakness, frequent fractures, and dental deformities. Rickets can also lead to respiratory problems, such as chest infections, due to a weakened rib cage.
Causes
The primary cause of rickets is vitamin D deficiency (Bassir, 2020). Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and is needed for healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D can be obtained from foods such as fish, eggs, and fortified milk. Sunlight exposure is also important for vitamin D production. Inadequate nutrition, lack of sunlight exposure, and certain medical conditions can lead to vitamin D deficiency and, subsequently, rickets.
Treatments
The most effective treatment for rickets is vitamin D and calcium supplementation (Bassir, 2020). Adequate sunlight exposure is also important for preventing and treating rickets. Recent research suggests that vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of rickets in young children (Jia et al., 2020). In addition, calcium supplementation has been found to improve bone mineralization in children with rickets (Jia et al., 2020).
Conclusion
Rickets is a skeletal disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency. It is most common in young children and is associated with poverty and malnutrition. The primary symptoms of rickets include bowed legs, curved spine, and soft bones. The primary cause of rickets is vitamin D deficiency, which can be prevented and treated by adequate sunlight exposure and vitamin D and calcium supplementation.
References
Bassir, O. (2020). Rickets: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/rickets
Jia, Y., Zhang, Y., Li, L., Gu, Y., & Chen, L. (2020). The Effects of Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation on Rickets in Young Children. Nutrients, 12(4), 1032. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041032