Rickets

=[|Rickets]=

What is[| Rickets]?
Rickets is a analogous disease that occurs in children. It usually comes about due to prolonged and extreme Vitamin D deficiency. It also can occur due to being genetically susceptible.It causes [|bowed legs] and deformities of the pelvis, skull, and rib cages. Epiphyseal plates cannot be calcified, therefore they continue to widen and causes the ends of [|long bones] to become abnormally long and enlarged. Due to advances in medicine, most cases of [|Rickets] now occur in isolated situations.

Signs and Symptoms of [|Rickets]

 * Skeletal deformities, such as bowed legs and other deformities as listed before.
 * Fragile bones. Children with Rickets will have more fractures than a child who does not have Rickets.
 * Impaired Growth. These children will grow slower in height and limbs.
 * Dental problems, such as defects in tooth structure, increased chances of cavities, poor enamel and delayed formation of teeth.
 * Bone pain that is dull and aching in spine, pelvis and legs.
 * Muscle weakness

Causes of [|Rickets]
The most common causes of Rickets is lack of sunlight and lack of Vitamin D rich foods. Also, removal of stomach and celiac disease, due to decreased absorption of nutrients in foods can cause rickets. Other causes of rickets include: Hereditary rickets; which is an inherited form of rickets caused by the inability of the kidneys to retain phosphorus, or a complication of renal tubular acidosis, a condition where your kidneys are unable to excrete acids into urine..

Who is at risk for [|Rickets]?
Children between the ages of 6-24 months are at risk.

Screening and Diagnosis.
Physical examinations, Blood tests checking calcium and phosphorus levels, X-rays looking for softening and weakness, and looking for a family history of kidney problems, [|celiac disease], or siblings with rickets are used by doctors to look for and diagnose a patient with Rickets.

Complications

 * Delays in motor skill development
 * Abnormal growth and development or Delayed growth and development
 * Susceptibilty to infection
 * Skeletal Deformities
 * Abnormally short stature (Example: An adult under 5 feet tall)
 * Seizures
 * Dental Defects

[|Treatments]
If it is caused by [|Vitamin D], calcium or phosphorus deficiencies, it can be easily treated by increased intake of minerals and vitamins. If deformities occurred, a doctor may want to put their patient in braces and if severe enough, surgically straighten the bones. Some food sources that increase a person's intake of vitamin D, if that is the patient's deficiency, include liver, fish, and processed milk. A doctor may also encourage a person to increase their exposure to sunlight. Another cause of rickets disease may be from a metabolic disfunction. In this case, doctors may prescribe a patient with a medicine for an increase in their vitamin intake. Using these procedures, a person may correct rickets. By taking 4000 IU of vitamin D orally once a day for one month, rickets will heal quickly. Within three to nine months, a person will notice their rickets will slowly get better through X-rays. Thus, to prevent one from ever contracting this disease, it is recommended for parents to take their young ones outdoors for about twenty minutes a day, making sure their faces are exposed. Plus, other foods that are great vitamin D souces are oily fish, egg yolks, butter, and cod liver oil.

Prevention
Rickets may be prevented. Although most adolescents & adults receive much of their necessary vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, infants& young children need to saty out of direct sun entirely or be very careful by always wearing sunscreen. Because of these factors, it is recommended for infants to be breast-fed for atleast two months; which gives them the vitamin D they need. Also, vitamin D suppletments can be taken & come in droplet form for infants. [|Calcium] is another very important factor when trying to prevent Rickets. Calcium & phosphorus consumption are important for bone formation in childhood. Many fail to take enough calcium, this lack of calcium may lead to [|osteomalacia], a form of rickets

How much calcium is needed?
= =
 * 1-3: 500 milligrams ( 2 servings a day of diary products)
 * 4-8: 800 milligrams (2-3 servings a day)
 * 9-18: 1,300 milligrams (4 servings a day)
 * 19-50: 1,000 milligrams (3 servings a day)

[|Similar Diseases]
An [|adult onset disease], Osteomalacia, is very similar to Rickets. It is also caused by [|Vitamin D deficiencies.]