Rickets can make a child’s bones soft and weak, leading to bone deformities. The other signs and symptoms include:
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Pain - the bones affected by rickets seem to be sore and painful, so the child may be reluctant to walk or tire easily. The child’s walk may look different.
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Skeletal Deformities - thickening of the ankles, wrists, knees, bowed legs, soft skull bones, and rarely bending of the spine.
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Dental Problems - weak tooth enamel, delay in teeth coming through and increased risk of cavities.
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Poor Growth and Development - if the skeleton does not grow and develop properly, the child will look shorter than average.
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Fragile Bones - In severe cases, the bones become weaker and get prone to fractures.
Some children with rickets may have low levels of calcium in blood (hypocalcemia). This can make the symptoms worse and cause muscle cramps, twitching, tingling in hands and feet, and fits.
Adults can experience similar symptoms such as bone pain, muscle weakness, and fragile bones that are prone to fractures. In adults, these symptoms are experienced due to osteomalacia.