When rickets makes the bones go ‘soft’ in young children

These three young children have bow legs, which is a common sign of rickets. — Photos: Dr JEANNE WONG SZE LYN

Rickets is a preventable condition that causes weak and soft bones in children.

Impaired mineralisation in rickets affects the growth plates in growing bones, resulting in bone deformities such as bowing of the legs, swelling of the wrist and knee joints, and radiographic changes seen on X-rays.