Calcium is an important element in the maintenance of bone health. In combination with phosphorus, calcium serves as the main building block for bone, and is essential for bone growth, development, and healing. Rickets is a condition that occurs in children usually because of an extreme vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium from the intestine into the bloodstream. The symptoms of rickets respond to decreased levels of vitamin D in the body.
Causes of Rickets
Rickets usually occur when the body does not produce or absorb enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced in the skin as a result of exposure to sunlight, and is activated in the liver before it starts working in the intestines to promote calcium absorption. Lack of enough sunlight can result in decreased vitamin D production. Eating a diet lacking vitamin-D fortified products, like milk and other dairy products, can also lead to vitamin D deficiency. People with conditions that affect the absorption of vitamin D from the gut, like celiac disease and cystic fibrosis, can also develop rickets.
Symptoms of Rickets
The symptoms of rickets reflect decreased levels of vitamin D and calcium, and their effect on bone growth and development. According to the National Library of Medicine, children with rickets have softening of the bones, which causes significant skeletal deformities such as bowlegs, pelvic deformities, and scoliosis. The bones become tender and fracture easily, even with minor trauma. This also impairs growth and can cause short stature. Rickets also affects the teeth, increasing cavities and defects on the enamel.
Treatment
The treatment of rickets consists of replacing calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D by increasing the intake of vitamin D-fortified foods, taking nutritional supplements like multivitamins, and promoting exposure to sunlight. Orthopedic braces or surgeries may be necessary to correct some of the skeletal deformities caused by rickets. Blood work reflecting vitamin D and calcium deficiency usually normalizes within a week of increasing vitamin D production and supplements.
Complications
Low calcium levels can also result in tetany. Tetany causes painful muscle spasms and tremors that could mimic seizures. It can also cause a sensation of tingling around the lips, tongue and fingers, and spasms of the face, wrists and feet. Chronic bone pain can also result from rickets, which can cause significant disability. Adults with vitamin D deficiency can develop a rickets-like condition called osteomalacia, which also weakens the bone and predisposes to fractures.
