What is the disease rachitis? A Guide to Nutritional Causes and Treatment

October 14, 2025 •

4 min read

Globally, nutritional rickets remains a significant health concern in children, with some regions reporting an increase in cases. So, what is the disease rachitis? It's a condition that causes bones to soften and weaken, most often due to severe vitamin D or calcium deficiency.

Quick Summary

Rachitis, commonly known as rickets, is a pediatric bone disorder caused by poor bone mineralization from severe vitamin D and calcium deficiencies. It leads to skeletal deformities, bone pain, and impaired growth but can be effectively treated with nutritional therapy.

Key Points

Rachitis is Rickets: Rachitis is the medical term for rickets, a condition of softened bones in children caused by poor mineralization.
Nutritional Deficiency is the Primary Cause: Most cases result from a severe, long-term deficiency of vitamin D, which is essential for absorbing calcium and phosphate.
Limited Sunlight is a Major Factor: Insufficient exposure to sunlight, particularly in northern latitudes or for individuals with darker skin, prevents the body from producing enough vitamin D.
Symptoms Include Deformities and Pain: Look for skeletal deformities like bowed legs, a beaded ribcage (rachitic rosary), bone pain, and muscle weakness.
Diet and Supplements are Key to Treatment: Treatment involves high-dose vitamin D and calcium supplements combined with a diet rich in these nutrients.
Prevention is Primarily Dietary and Environmental: Ensure children have a balanced diet with vitamin D and calcium, and get adequate, safe sun exposure, especially in high-risk groups.
Osteomalacia is the Adult Equivalent: The adult version of rachitis is called osteomalacia, which causes bone pain and fractures but lacks the developmental deformities of rickets.

Understanding Rachitis: The Definition and Cause

For many, the name 'rachitis' is unfamiliar, but it is the medical term for the more widely known condition, rickets. At its core, rachitis is a metabolic bone disease that affects children during periods of rapid growth. The disease is characterized by a failure of bone tissue to properly mineralize with calcium and phosphate, leading to softened, weakened, and deformed bones. This occurs before the growth plates (physes) close, which is why it is specific to childhood.

The Critical Role of Vitamin D, Calcium, and Phosphate

The most common cause of nutritional rachitis is an extreme and prolonged deficiency in vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial because it facilitates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the gut. Without enough vitamin D, the body cannot absorb these vital minerals efficiently, even if dietary intake is sufficient.

This nutritional imbalance disrupts the normal calcification process of the bones. The body tries to compensate by producing hormones that draw calcium and phosphate from the bones to maintain blood levels, which further weakens the skeleton. Less commonly, a direct deficiency in dietary calcium or phosphorus can also cause rachitis.

Key Symptoms and Diagnostic Process

The symptoms of rachitis manifest as the bones weaken and fail to grow correctly. Some key signs to look for include:

Skeletal Deformities: This is one of the most prominent features, including bowed legs (genu varum) or knock-knees (genu valgum), thickened wrists and ankles, and a protruding breastbone. A beaded appearance of the ribs, known as a 'rachitic rosary,' is also a classic sign.
Pain and Tenderness: Children may experience pain or tenderness in their arms, legs, spine, or pelvis due to the softened bones.
Impaired Growth: Growth plates are affected, which can lead to delayed growth and short stature.
Muscle Weakness: Hypotonia, or poor muscle tone, and general muscle weakness are common, sometimes leading to a delayed onset of walking or a waddling gait.
Dental Problems: Delayed tooth formation, defects in enamel, and an increased risk of cavities are associated with rachitis.

Diagnosis

A doctor can diagnose rachitis through a physical examination and specific tests, including:

Blood Tests: Measuring serum levels of calcium, phosphate, vitamin D, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) provides a clear picture of the child's nutritional status. High ALP levels are often indicative of bone disease.
X-rays: Radiographs of the bones can reveal the characteristic skeletal changes, such as widening of the growth plates.
Bone Density Scans: A DEXA scan may be used to measure the calcium content in the bones.

Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors

While nutritional deficiency is the main culprit, certain environmental and genetic factors can increase a child's risk of developing rachitis:

Limited Sun Exposure: Sunlight is the primary natural source of vitamin D, and insufficient exposure due to geographic location, spending most of the day indoors, or wearing protective clothing can cause a deficiency.
Darker Skin Pigmentation: Melanin in darker skin reduces the skin's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight, requiring more time outdoors for adequate production.
Maternal Deficiency: A baby born to a mother with a serious vitamin D deficiency can be born with or develop rickets within a few months of birth.
Inherited Conditions: In rare cases, genetic disorders can interfere with the body's ability to use or process vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, leading to hereditary rickets.

Rachitis (Rickets) vs. Osteomalacia: A Comparison


Feature	Rachitis (Rickets)	Osteomalacia
Target Population	Children, adolescents	Adults
Bone Status	Bones are still growing and developing	Bones are mature and have stopped growing
Key Symptom	Skeletal deformities, such as bowed legs and a protruding breastbone, due to defective growth plates	Generalized bone pain, muscle weakness, and increased risk of fractures
Underlying Cause	Impaired mineralization at the growth plates before they fuse	Impaired mineralization of the bone matrix after the growth plates have fused
Prognosis	Deformities can often be corrected with treatment if diagnosed early	Treatment typically improves pain and reduces fracture risk, but pre-existing deformities are less likely to correct

The Role of Diet in Prevention and Treatment

For most cases of nutritional rachitis, treatment focuses on correcting the vitamin D and calcium deficiencies. Diet is paramount in both recovery and prevention.

Treatment with a Corrective Diet

High-Dose Supplements: A pediatrician will likely prescribe high doses of vitamin D and calcium supplements to correct the deficiency rapidly.
Dietary Sources: Introduce foods naturally rich in vitamin D and calcium, such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel), eggs, and dairy products. During treatment, consistency is key.

Preventive Diet Strategies

Embrace Fortified Foods: Many foods are fortified with vitamin D and calcium. This includes milk, infant formula, cereals, and some orange juices. Check nutrition labels to identify these options.
Consume Vitamin D-Rich Foods: Incorporate fatty fish like salmon and tuna, as well as eggs, into the diet to naturally boost vitamin D intake.
Ensure Adequate Calcium: Offer calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and green leafy vegetables like broccoli and cabbage.
Consider Supplements for At-Risk Groups: The NHS and other health bodies recommend vitamin D supplements for certain populations, including all babies (breastfed or formula-fed), toddlers, and pregnant women.

Conclusion: Rachitis is Largely Preventable

Through an understanding of what is the disease rachitis, its nutritional origins, and proper dietary management, this condition can be both prevented and effectively treated. A balanced diet rich in vitamin D and calcium, along with sufficient sun exposure, forms the cornerstone of prevention. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical for a positive prognosis, allowing children with nutritional rachitis to make a full recovery and grow into healthy adults. If you have concerns about your child's bone health or suspect symptoms of rachitis, consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

For more in-depth information, the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia provides comprehensive details on rickets.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main cause of rachitis, or rickets, is a severe and prolonged deficiency of vitamin D. This vitamin is crucial for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and its absence impairs bone mineralization.

Yes, rachitis is the medical term for the disease commonly known as rickets. They both refer to the same bone-softening condition in children.

Sunlight is the most efficient natural source of vitamin D. When skin is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, it produces vitamin D, which is vital for bone health.

A balanced diet should include foods rich in vitamin D (fatty fish, egg yolks) and calcium (dairy products). Fortified foods like milk, cereal, and orange juice are also excellent sources.

Nutritional rachitis is often treatable and curable with proper supplementation and dietary changes. Most symptoms improve within weeks, though severe skeletal deformities may require more time or intervention.

Infants who are exclusively breastfed, children with darker skin, and those with limited sun exposure or dietary restrictions (like veganism) are at a higher risk.

Rickets affects children whose bones are still growing, causing skeletal deformities. Osteomalacia is the adult equivalent, causing bone pain and weakness but not the same developmental deformities because adult growth plates are fused.