How do you get rickets

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Overview Rickets is the softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Lambert AS, et al.

Hypocalcaemic and hypophosphatemic rickets. Carpenter T. Overview of rickets in children. Accessed March 19, Etiology and treatment of calcipenic rickets in children. Misra M. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in children and adolescents. Vitamin D. Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed March 22, Shaw NJ. Prevention and treatment of nutritional rickets. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Horan MP, et al. Vitamin D is essential for health, but it can be hard to get enough of it from your diet.

Here are 7 healthy foods that are high in vitamin D. Nutrient deficiencies may occur with almost every nutrient, but some are more likely than others. Here are 7 incredibly common nutrient deficiencies. Calcium has many benefits, but most people aren't getting enough of this mineral. Here is a list of 15 foods that are rich in calcium, many of which…. Malnutrition refers to getting too little or too much of certain nutrients.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Rickets Medically reviewed by Justin Choi, M. What is rickets? Who is at risk for developing rickets? What are the symptoms of rickets? How is rickets diagnosed? How is rickets treated? What can be expected after treatment for rickets? How can rickets be prevented? Medically reviewed by Justin Choi, M. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Malnutrition: Definition, Symptoms and Treatment.

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Foods with vitamin D include fresh fatty fish e. Some foods have vitamin D added, such as margarine and some breakfast cereals or dairy products. However, foods only provide a small amount 10 per cent or less of daily vitamin D needs for most people in Australia, and safely spending enough time in the sun is the best way to prevent low vitamin D.

See our fact sheet Vitamin D. Children with dark skin who live in the southern parts of Australia should have extra vitamin D supplements during winter. Regular follow-up with a paediatrician is needed to ensure that healthy levels of vitamin D, calcium and phosphate are maintained. You child will have:. If my child has bow legs, will they straighten up once she is getting more vitamin D? Usually, within three months of treatment, an improvement in bone health and shape are visible on X-rays.

With medical treatment alone, most bow legs improve dramatically and surgery is not necessary. If there is insufficient straightening, your child will be referred to a bone specialist orthopaedic surgeon for review.

If my child has rickets are they likely to have bone problems later in life? Your child should be monitored closely to make sure they continue to have good vitamin D, calcium and phosphate levels. Once the bone abnormalities are corrected in childhood, your child is not likely to have bone problems later in life. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

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The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Information contained in the handouts is updated regularly and therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout.