Rickets

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Rickets...
also known as Osteomalacia in children, a Vitamin D deficiency or Renal
rickets, is a childhood disorder involving softening and weakening of the
bones, primarily caused by lack of vitamin D, calcium, and or phosphate.

Etiology: Vitamin D may be absorbed from food by the intestines or may be produced by the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight. In its active form, vitamin D acts as a hormone to regulate calcium absorption from the intestine and to regulate levels of calcium and phosphate in the bones. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, conditions that reduce digestion or absorption of fats will decrease the ability of vitamin D to be absorbed from the intestines. When the body is deficient in vitamin D, it is unable to properly regulate calcium and phosphate levels. If the blood levels of these minerals become too low, other body hormones may stimulate release of calcium and phosphate from the bones to the bloodstream to elevate the blood levels. Rickets is a bone disease that affects children when these deficiencies occur. It causes progressive softening and weakening of the bones' structure. There is a loss of calcium and phosphate from the bones, which eventually causes destruction of the supportive matrix. Hereditary rickets is an inherited form of the disease caused when the kidneys are unable to retain phosphate. Rickets may also be caused by kidney disorders involving renal tubular acidosis.
Signs and Symptoms: Rickets patients are affected by certain signs and symptoms. The patients experience bone pain or tenderness especially of the arms, legs, spine and pelvis. Skeletal deformities also occur such as bowlegs, spine deformities and last but not least an asymmetrical or odd-shaped skull. Other symptoms are increased tendency toward bone fractures, dental deformities,...