nutritional⚑ High burden in India

Rickets / osteomalacia

Rickets is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children and may have either dietary- or causes. Symptoms include bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, and trouble sleeping. may include bone deformities, bone pseudofractures and fractures, muscle spasms, or an abnormally curved spine. The analogous condition in adults is osteomalacia.

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Symptoms — what it feels like

·Bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, trouble sleeping

Causes — why it happens

·Diet without enough vitamin D or calcium, too little sun exposure, exclusive breastfeeding without supplementation, celiac disease, certain conditions

Prevention

·Vitamin D supplements for exclusively-breastfed babies

Treatment

·Vitamin D and calcium

Complications

·Bone fractures, muscle spasms, abnormally curved spine, intellectual disability

More in Bones

Osteoporosis Fractures Bone cancer Paget's disease of bone Osteomyelitis Scoliosis Osteopenia Avascular necrosis Spinal stenosis Kyphosis Bone (osteo)sarcoma Skeletal fluorosis

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Plain-language summary adapted from Wikipedia. Not medical advice.