Rickets: Clinical Features

• Head
  • Skull - Craniotabes may occur, in which the bones of the skull soften and flattening of the posterior skull can be seen. These effects may be transient or permanent. Another feature is the prominence of the frontal bones and the major foramen, resulting in frontal bossing or a prominent, sometimes square, forehead (caput quadratum).
  • Teeth - Teeth may erupt later than normal because of undermineralization. Enamel can be of poor quality, resulting in caries.
• Thorax
  • Rachitic rosary - The enlarged ends of the ribs, resembling beads, can be palpable and visible at the costochondral junction. As a result, the sternum can become more prominent, leading to a pigeon breast or pectus carinatum appearance.
  • Harrison groove - The groove is a semicoronal impression over the abdomen at the level of the insertion of the diaphragm, which can be seen in rickets.
• Spine - A mild to more pronounced scoliosis may be seen as a result of rickets.
• Pelvis - A prominent promontory can be found, and the anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the pelvis can shrink as a result of scoliosis. If this persists in girls, it can cause complications later in life during childbirth.
• Extremities
  • Arms
    • Bowing of the long bones, as a reaction to greenstick fractures, results from concurrent osteomalacia.
    • Thickening of the wrist at the level of the epiphysis is not visible radiographically, since the lesion consists of cartilage, although fraying and cupping of the metaphysis is evident.
  • Legs
    • Bowing of the long bones (genu varum)as a result of weight bearing is typical.
    • Anterior bowing of the tibia (saber shin deformity) may occur.
    • Development of knock-knees (genu valgum) may occur because of displacement of the growth plates during active disease.
    • Thickening at the level of the ankle may occur, identical to the process in the wrist.
• Ligaments and muscles - Laxity in the ligaments is increased, and muscle tone is decreased. This combination leads to a delay in motor development.