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Rickets Overview
Rickets is a skeletal condition that may affect children who are not receiving the proper nutrition to help grow strong bones. It involves the softening and weakening of bones which can present itself in a variety of ways. Symptoms may include delayed growth, pain in the spine, pelvis, or legs, and muscle weakness.
The condition may lead to skeletal deformities if the growth plates are interfered with. These deformities can include bowed legs, knock knees, thickened wrists or ankles and breastbone projection.
The condition is usually associated with an extreme and prolonged deficiency of vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for bone health because it helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the digestive system. If the body isn’t able to absorb these nutrients from the intestines, the bones may become weak.
Causes of Rickets
Although the underlying cause of rickets is typically a lack of vitamin D, this can be for various reasons.
A child may simply not be getting enough vitamin D in their diet or through sun exposure. Sunlight triggers the body’s production of vitamin D, and foods such as fish oil, fatty fish, egg yolks, and certain enhanced foods contain dietary vitamin D. A lack of either of these vitamin D sources may lead to the skeletal condition.
Some children may be exposed to a sufficient amount of vitamin D but are unable to absorb vitamin D. Conditions such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis, and kidney problems may affect a child’s ability to absorb the vitamin.
Neocate and Rickets
Recently, rickets has been linked with Neocate formulas. These elemental infant formulas are typically given to children with allergies as they are based in amino acids and are therefore less likely to cause an allergic response.
Medical professionals have noted that some children and infants being fed Neocate formulas have developed rickets caused by hypophosphatemia – low levels of phosphorus in the blood.
Phosphorus is an essential mineral for bone health and has been shown to be as important as calcium to the growth and maintenance of strong bones. When a child lacks sufficient phosphorus, they may develop rickets.
Although this is typically seen through a vitamin D deficiency that makes it difficult for children to absorb phosphorus through their digestive system, Neocate may contribute to hypophosphatemia and subsequent rickets.
Some scientists have theorized that the bioavailability of phosphorus in Neocate is insufficient – meaning that the phosphorus in the formula is unable to be absorbed by some children despite the child having the ability to absorb the mineral.
Luckily, in scientific studies the problem appeared to resolve with the discontinuation of Neocate. However, parents may be heavily scrutinized to due their child’s injuries. Some parents have even faced the risk of losing their child completely due to unexplained bone breakage.
Additionally, children are often forced to suffer in this situation and the family unit may be burdened by costly medical bills racked up in an attempt to identify the issue.
Parents whose children or infants have suffered from rickets after being fed Neocate formulas may be eligible to recover compensation with the help of an experienced attorney.
