Rickets is caused by a deficiency of what element?

Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
Updated on March 14, 2025
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Rickets is a systemic chronic nutritional disease caused by vitamin D deficiency leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which results in abnormal bone development. The main cause is a lack of vitamin D, generally related to feeding methods, the addition of cod liver oil, living environment, outdoor activity time, repeated respiratory infections, calcium deficiency during pregnancy, and the season of birth. It is generally recommended to routinely supplement vitamin D and cod liver oil after birth, have regular follow-ups, engage in appropriate outdoor activities, and during pregnancy, it is important to supplement with adequate calcium and vitamin D. Additionally, attention should be paid to children who have repeated respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, as these can also affect the absorption of vitamin D and calcium and phosphorus. Thus, it is vital to actively prevent other diseases that may affect the absorption of vitamin D and to treat illnesses proactively when they occur.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
1min 16sec home-news-image

What foods are good for rickets?

Rickets is a global chronic nutritional disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, leading to disorders in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and abnormal bone development. The main issue stems from the lack of vitamin D, which causes abnormalities in the body's calcium levels, thus it's important to ensure dietary intake of vitamin D. For early infancy, it is generally recommended to strengthen feeding practices. Infants under six months should be exclusively breastfed until six months of age, followed by timely introduction of complementary foods. Cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin D, should be routinely supplemented starting from the second week after birth, along with regular monitoring of growth and development. As complementary foods are introduced, try to include vitamin-rich vegetables and appropriately supplement with calcium-rich foods, such as certain seafood, while being mindful of potential allergies in children. Additionally, it is beneficial to include some high-protein, nutritious foods. Most importantly, children should persist in outdoor activities to get ample sunlight and continue supplementing with cod liver oil.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
1min 25sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of rickets

Rickets is a chronic systemic nutritional disease caused by insufficient vitamin D in the body, leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, characterized by skeletal lesions, typically presenting as incomplete mineralization of the long bones' growth plates and bone tissue. In the early stages of rickets, skeletal development abnormalities are not very obvious. Infants under three months often exhibit signs of increased neural excitability, such as being prone to crying, sweating easily, and potentially frequent head shaking; however, these symptoms are not necessarily specific to rickets. Generally, at this time, there are no obvious abnormalities in skeletal development, and X-rays of the bones are normal. The focus is on vitamin levels, specifically decreased serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, as well as reduced blood calcium and phosphorus levels. Therefore, early symptoms are not so typical. It is recommended that children regularly visit pediatric clinics for physical examinations to assess their development and, if necessary, undergo trace element and vitamin D level checks.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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Does rickets have anything to do with milk powder?

Rickets is not necessarily linked to formula milk. Rickets is mainly a metabolic bone disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D in the body, while the main components of formula milk are various nutrients, including trace elements and vitamins. If the formula contains insufficient calcium, it may exacerbate the symptoms of rickets. Therefore, the main requirement is to intake enough vitamin D. National child healthcare guidelines require that children be supplemented with 400 to 800 units of vitamin D daily from two weeks after birth until the age of two. Additionally, it is important to get ample sunlight in daily life and engage in reasonable outdoor activities to promote calcium absorption, which can effectively prevent rickets. The amount of vitamin D and calcium in formula milk cannot meet the growth and developmental needs of children, so additional supplementation is necessary. Thus, there is a certain connection between rickets and formula milk, but it is not inevitable.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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How to diagnose rickets?

Rickets is caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, which leads to abnormal calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and thus abnormal bone development. Generally, rickets requires biochemical blood tests and vitamin D level assessments, followed by skeletal X-ray examinations. However, some cases of rickets are caused by other special reasons, such as abnormalities in liver and kidney functions, and there may also be congenital genetic diseases. Therefore, rickets also requires further related examinations, such as liver function tests, kidney function tests, and parathyroid hormone tests, and even some genetic level examinations might be conducted.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
1min 11sec home-news-image

How is rickets treated with injections?

Rickets, also known as vitamin D deficiency rickets, is a chronic nutritional disease characterized by skeletal lesions, caused by insufficient vitamin D in children, leading to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The typical manifestation of rickets is incomplete mineralization of the growing long bone epiphyses and bone tissue, presenting as bone softening or deformity. Once rickets is diagnosed, it must be treated aggressively. First, children are given high doses of vitamin D, either orally or through intramuscular injection, with a common practice of administering a single dose of 300,000 units of vitamin D intramuscularly. A month later, a blood sample is taken to measure the vitamin D content; if it is below normal, treatment must continue; if it is within the normal range, it is only necessary to supplement the daily physiological requirement of vitamin D for the child. (Specific medication should be administered under the guidance of a physician.)