Rickets Congenital

Rickets is a condition in which bones become weak and brittle and joints lose flexibility. This occurs due to a lack of vitamins D and calcium in the body. With rickets in children, curvature of the bones may occur, muscle weakness and spasms may appear, and the development of internal organs and the brain may slow down.

Rickets can be congenital (appears at birth) or acquired (develops throughout life). Congenital rickets most often develops due to a lack of vitamin D in the mother during pregnancy, low exposure to sunlight during pregnancy, malnutrition, and elevated temperature in the mother due to illness. Lack of protein and magnesium in the mother also contributes to the development of rickets. The reasons for the development of rickets include maternal problems with the thyroid gland and a lack of progesterone. In infants with rickets, delayed ossification of the skull, abnormal ossification of the spine, ingrown nails, sloping shoulders, and widening of the joints are observed. In older children, children experience lethargy, drowsiness, sweating, and muscle weakness. Signs of rickets are visible