Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency

Among the signs of vitamin D deficiency, you can find disorders in the development of bones and muscles. When the deficiency is present in infants and children, we refer to the disorder as rickets. This was a more common condition in the past but now, it is considered almost inexistent in the US (although its incidence in other countries is still significant).

The role of vitamin D is very important like the role of any other vitamin. It is responsible of the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies, and it determines the way calcium is deposited in our bones. In other words, it plays a major role in the healthy development of our bones and muscles.

The low levels of vitamin D that produce rickets can be caused by a series of factors depending on the individual, including lack of sun exposure and malabsorption of vitamin D due to inadequate absorption of nutrients by the intestine. A deficiency in vitamin D on an infant is caused by lack of vitamin D in the mother, so it is essential that women who are pregnant or nursing get enough of this vitamin mainly to a healthy sun exposure.

Rickets, a bone disease, causes a deformity of bones, especially bowed legs. Scientists have found that children with dark skin are more prone to develop vitamin D deficiency rickets because they aren’t able to synthetize vitamin D through the sun as easily as people with light skin. In these cases infants need to get additional vitamin D through the help of vitamin D supplement drops.

Nowadays there may be some factors that can make rickets re-appear in America and other countires, as more mothers are found with inadequate Vitamin D levels. Not only that but children are breast-fed for long periods, soda is common in many houses, and many children stay indoors. This all is detrimental to their health and can unleash a vitamin D deficiency.