🎙 Rickets: The Silent Threat to Your Child's Bones

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The silent return of rickets in modern children reveals a surprising gap in our understanding of essential childhood nutrition. Despite advances in healthcare and overall nutrition, this skeletal disorder—characterized by soft, weak, and potentially deformed bones—continues to affect children across all demographics.

Diving deep into the science of bone development, we explore how vitamin D serves as the critical "mortar" that allows calcium to properly strengthen growing skeletons. When this vital nutrient is missing, even calcium-rich diets fail to support proper mineralization. Our modern lifestyle, with decreased outdoor playtime and increased screen time, creates the perfect environment for vitamin D deficiency to flourish unnoticed until physical symptoms appear.

Certain groups face heightened risk factors that parents should know about. Children with darker skin tones require more sun exposure to produce adequate vitamin D due to protective melanin. Exclusively breastfed babies need vitamin D supplementation from the earliest days, as breast milk alone—while nutritionally superior in many ways—typically lacks sufficient vitamin D. We also share crucial early warning signs beyond the classic bow legs, including subtle developmental delays, unexplained weakness, dental issues, and growth concerns that might otherwise be overlooked.

Prevention remains the gold standard approach, and we provide actionable strategies for parents at every stage of childhood. From specific supplementation guidelines for infants to balanced nutrition approaches for growing kids, these evidence-based recommendations from pediatric experts at Omega Pediatrics offer a practical roadmap for ensuring strong skeletal development. By recognizing the risks and taking proactive steps, we can protect our children from this entirely preventable condition. Listen now to gain the knowledge that could make all the difference in your child's long-term health and development.

Visit the blog post: https://www.omegapediatrics.com/the-unbelievable-truth-about-rickets/

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Episode Transcript

Stella (00:00):
Welcome to have More Babies.
I'm Stella, and today, well,we're diving into something
really crucial.
It's not about populationnumbers, but something vital for
the health of those babiesRickets.
You might think you know it'san old disease, but surprisingly
it's still a concern, even here.

Matthew (00:17):
That's absolutely right .
Rickets is a skeletal disorder.
Basically, children's bonesdon't develop correctly.
They can become soft, weak,even deformed.

Stella (00:28):
Yeah.

Matthew (00:28):
And, yeah, what's surprising is that it's still
around Understanding why is well, it's key to prevention.

Stella (00:34):
Totally agree.
And for this deep dive, we'reusing info from the pediatric
experts at Omega Pediatrics.
Our goal today to really unpackthis condition.
What is it, what pauses it,what signs to look for?
And, yeah, goal today to reallyunpack this condition.
What is it?
What causes?

Matthew (00:47):
it.
What signs to?

Stella (00:48):
look for and, yeah, how to prevent it.
Crucial stuff it really is.
So let's start right there.
What's?

Matthew (00:52):
actually happening inside a child's body with
rickets.
Okay, so, fundamentally,rickets messes with how bones
mineralize, how they harden.
Think of it like you have thebricks, the building blocks for
bones, but the mortar isn'tworking right, ah, okay.

Stella (01:02):
So they don't assemble properly for bones.
But the mortar isn't workingright.
Ah, okay, so they don'tassemble properly, leading to
softer bones.

Matthew (01:06):
Exactly Softer, weaker structures that can bend or get
misshapen, so the bones justaren't hardening like they
should.
That's it in a nutshell and themain reason the primary driver.

Stella (01:19):
It's a lack of vitamin D .
Vitamin D, right.
We hear so much about that.
Is it only vitamin D, though,or are there other factors?

Matthew (01:24):
It's definitely the biggest one by far, but it's
worth remembering that nothaving enough calcium or
phosphate minerals themselvescan also play a role.
It's just well less common asthe main cause these days,
especially in developed areas.

Stella (01:38):
It still feels, I don't know, kind of remarkable that a
condition like this persists,even with modern medicine.
Why is that Remarkable, that acondition like this persists
even with modern medicine.

Matthew (01:45):
Why is that?
Well, it's interesting, isn'tit?
Even with better health careaccess, maybe better nutrition
overall, our modern lifestylescan create gaps.
Think about kids, maybespending less time playing
outside, you know, less sunexposure in some places.

Stella (01:59):
That makes a lot of sense.
Ok, so let's zero in on vitaminD for a bit.
Why is it so incrediblyimportant for kids' bones?

Matthew (02:06):
Okay.
So vitamin D has thisabsolutely critical job.
It lets the body absorb calciumfrom food.
You can eat loads ofcalcium-rich foods, but if you
don't have enough vitamin D,your body just can't use the
calcium effectively.
Exactly.
It's like trying to build thatwall we talked about, but having
no mortar for the bricks.
The calcium is there, but itcan't become part of the bone

(02:27):
structure properly.

Stella (02:28):
That's a really clear analogy.
So how does a kid actuallybecome deficient in vitamin D?
What are the usual ways?

Matthew (02:35):
Well, there are a few main paths.
Number one is not enoughsunlight, simple as that.
Sometimes Our skin makesvitamin D when it's exposed to
UVB rays from the sun.

Stella (02:46):
Right.

Matthew (02:47):
So if you live somewhere with less sun, maybe
during winter, or if kids aremostly indoors, their vitamin D
production just dropssignificantly sometimes.

Stella (02:55):
Okay, less sun exposure.
What about diet?
Does that play a big role?

Matthew (02:58):
Oh, absolutely Not getting enough vitamin D through
food is another major con.

Stella (03:02):
Yeah.

Matthew (03:02):
If a child's diet is low in things like, say, fatty
fish Exactly, and while somefoods are fortified, like milk
or some cereals, the levelsmight not always be enough on
their own, especially forinfants who aren't eating a wide
variety of foods yet.

Stella (03:21):
So sunlight and diet are the big two.
Any other ways deficiency canhappen.

Matthew (03:26):
Yes, though it's less frequent.
Certain medical conditions caninterfere with nutrient
absorption things we callmalabsorption issues.
That can also lead to lowvitamin D.

Stella (03:36):
Okay Now.
We mentioned vitamin D asprimary, but you also brought up
calcium and phosphate.
How do they fit into theRicketts picture if they're
deficient?

Matthew (03:43):
Right.
So while it's less often themain cause in places with
fortified foods, calcium andphosphate are literally the
minerals that make bones hardand strong.
So if a child isn't gettingenough through diet, or again if
their body struggles to absorbthem, that can also result in
the weakened bones we see inrickets.

Stella (04:00):
So it's really a team effort between these nutrients
for healthy bones.

Matthew (04:04):
You could say that yeah .

Stella (04:05):
Now thinking about prevention and awareness.
Who should be most vigilant?
Are there specific groups ofchildren at higher risk?

Matthew (04:12):
That's a really important question.
Definitely, like we said, kidsin areas with limited sun
exposure.
That's a big one.
Also, infants and children withdarker skin tones.

Stella (04:22):
Why is that?

Matthew (04:23):
Well, the melanin in darker skin.
It's protective against sundamage, but it also reduces the
skin's ability to producevitamin D from sunlight, so they
need more sun exposure to makethe same amount.

Stella (04:34):
That's really vital information for parents.
What other risk factors shouldwe know about?

Matthew (04:39):
Another key one is exclusive breastfeeding without
giving the baby vitamin Dsupplements.
Breast milk is amazing,obviously, but it often doesn't
contain enough vitamin D for thebaby's needs, especially if the
mother herself is low invitamin D.

Stella (04:52):
Wow, okay, that's crucial for new parents to hear.
So knowing the risks is stepone.
What about the actual signs?
What should parents be lookingout for?

Matthew (05:02):
Yeah, this is where catching it early is so
important.
One of the clearest signs canbe bone deformities.
You might notice bull legswhere the legs curve out, or
knock knees where the kneesangle inwards.

Stella (05:11):
Those sound quite visible.
Are there subtler signs?
Maybe earlier on?

Matthew (05:15):
Yes, definitely, muscle weakness can be an early clue,
maybe a delay in hitting motormilestones like sitting up,
crawling, walking, or the childmight just seem weaker or tire
out more easily than other kidstheir age.

Stella (05:30):
Okay, so developmental delays could be linked, anything
else?

Matthew (05:34):
Dental problems can show up too, things like teeth
coming in late, or maybe morecavities than you'd expect and
just generally slower growth.
The child might not be keepingup on the growth charts.

Stella (05:45):
So it's potentially a mix of physical things,
development, even dental health.
It sounds like recognizingthese signs early is really the
key.

Matthew (05:53):
Absolutely.
The earlier Ricketts isdiagnosed and treated, the less
chance there is of seriouslong-term bone problems.

Stella (05:59):
Okay.
So if a parent sees some ofthese signs and is concerned,
what happens next?
How do doctors typicallydiagnose it?

Matthew (06:06):
Well, the process usually involves a few things.
Blood tests are pretty standard.
They'll check the levels ofvitamin D, calcium and phosphate
.

Stella (06:13):
Right getting those direct measurements, what else?

Matthew (06:16):
X-rays are also really useful.
They can show changes in thebones like lower density or the
specific deformities associatedwith rickets.
And, of course, a good physicalexam by a pediatrician is key.
They'll assess the child'soverall health and look for
those signs we've been talkingabout.

Stella (06:32):
Makes sense A combination of tests and
observation, and look for thosesigns we've been talking about.
Makes sense A combination oftests and observation Once it is
diagnosed, what's the treatmentplan usually look like?

Matthew (06:40):
The main treatment is basically getting those nutrient
levels back up, sosupplementation with higher
doses of vitamin D and calciumis usually the first step.
The doctor figures out theright dose based on the child's
age, how severe the deficiencyis, things like that.

Stella (06:59):
Following their guidance is really important, so
boosting those nutrients iscentral.

Matthew (07:01):
Does diet play a role in treatment too?
Yes, dietary changes helpsupport recovery, so encouraging
foods rich in vitamin D, thosefatty fish, eggs, fortified
foods we mentioned, becomes evenmore important.

Stella (07:11):
And what about sunlight during treatment?

Matthew (07:13):
Moderate sun exposure can definitely help the body
make its own vitamin D, but youhave to be careful Too much sun
isn't good either.

Stella (07:21):
Right Sun safety first.

Matthew (07:22):
Exactly.
The pediatrician can giveadvice on finding that safe
balance as part of the overallplan.

Stella (07:28):
Okay, so treatment tackles the deficiency directly,
but ideally we want to stop itfrom happening at all.
Right, prevention.

Matthew (07:36):
Absolutely.
Prevention is always, alwaysthe best strategy and there are
definitely proactive stepsparents can take.

Stella (07:43):
Let's talk about those.
What should parents focus onright from the start?

Matthew (07:47):
can take.
Let's talk about those.
What should parents focus onright from the start?
Well, ensuring a balanced dietwith enough vitamin D, calcium
and phosphate is justfundamental all through
childhood.
It really starts even beforebirth with good maternal
nutrition and continues as kidsstart solids.

Stella (08:00):
And specifically for infants.
We mentioned breastfeeding.

Matthew (08:03):
Yes, this is where that vitamin D supplementation for
exclusively breastfed babiescomes in.
It's really standard guidance.
Now.
The American Academy ofPediatrics recommends a daily
supplement right from the firstfew days.
Formula usually has vitamin Dadded, but it's always good to
check with the doctor.

Stella (08:18):
So supplements are often needed for breastfed babies.
What about older kids andpreventing rickets?
Sunlight again.

Matthew (08:25):
Yeah, encouraging regular but safe outdoor play is
great for older kids.
Helps the bodies make vitamin Dnaturally.

Stella (08:32):
Safe being the key word.

Matthew (08:33):
Definitely Moderation, sun protection and, of course,
continuing that focus on a dietwith plenty of vitamin D and
calcium sources as they grow.

Stella (08:40):
This has been incredibly helpful and it's good to know
there are experts focusing onthis.
We mentioned Omega Pediatricsearlier.
Where can listeners find themif they're in the area?

Matthew (08:48):
Right yeah, omega Pediatrics has several clinics
in the northern Atlanta suburbs,places like Roswell, alpharetta
, milton, marietta and also downin Riverdale, georgia.
They offer a whole range ofpediatric care and they really
emphasize preventive health andeducation.
That sounds great yeah, ifyou're in that part of Georgia,
they're a great resource.
You can find out more on theirwebsite, omegapediatricscom.

Stella (09:09):
Omegapediatricscom.
Good to know.
Okay, so wrapping things up,what's the main message, the key
takeaway you want people toleave with?

Matthew (09:18):
I think the most important thing is just
understanding what rickets is,knowing the risks, recognizing
the signs and, crucially, takingthose preventive steps.
It's all about protectinghealthy bone development.

Stella (09:29):
That knowledge really empowers parents and caregivers
it really does empower you andit makes you think, doesn't it,
how things that seem quitesimple, like getting enough Sun
or specific vitamins, can havesuch a huge long-term effect on
a child's health it absolutelydoes.

Matthew (09:46):
Yeah, it kind of leaves you with a question, doesn't it
?
How can we best support ourkids' nutritional needs right
from the start, to give themthat solid foundation?

Stella (09:55):
That's a powerful thought to reflect on and hey,
for everyone listening.
If you found this useful,please, please share it.
Tell other parents, othercaregivers, help get this
important information out there.
Yeah, subscribe to have MoreBabies.
Download the episodes.
We'll be back with more deepdives into essential health
topics when you share and comeback.
You're really building thiscommunity of informed parents
and learners.

Matthew (10:16):
Absolutely Sharing knowledge is key.

Stella (10:19):
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise today.
This was really valuable.
Until next time on, have MoreBabies.
Goodbye.

Matthew (10:24):
Goodbye, everyone, take care.