Rickets
Tejah Robinson
What is it?
Rickets is the softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency. There are some different bone abnormalities that can be associated with rickets, but they are not different forms of it.
Causes
Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphorus from food. Rickets can occur if your body doesn't get enough vitamin D or if his or her body has problems using vitamin D properly: Celiac disease, Inflammatory bowel disease, Cystic fibrosis, Kidney problems. Occasionally, not getting enough calcium or lack of calcium and vitamin D can cause rickets. You need Vitamin D from sunlight and food. Children between the age 3 to 18 months have the chance to develop this.
Treatments
Most cases of rickets can be treated with vitamin D and calcium supplements. For some cases of bowlegs or spinal deformities, a doctor might suggest special bracing to position the body appropriately as the bones grow. More-severe skeletal deformities might require surgery. Vitamin and calcium supplements would be ongoing treatments and surgery would be a permanent fix.
What's interesting?
I didn't know the bones could curve so much and make an oval shape. Vitamin D can not only make your bones weaker but deform in such a dramatic way.