Rickets

A disease caused by nutritional deficiency that causes bone deformities in childhood. Bones become deformed because inadequate amounts of calcium and phosphate are incorporated into them as they grow. The most common cause is vitamin D deficiency. It also occasionally develops as a complication of malabsorption and may also occur in rare forms of kidney and liver disease. Rickets due to dietary deficiency is treated with supplements. The deformities usually disappear as the child grows. Rickets occurring as a complication of a disorder is treated according to the cause.