Even though rickets is making a comeback, it can be prevented easily with vitamin supplements, according to experts at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

The most common cause of this bone-deforming disease is a vitamin D deficiency. "The body can make all the vitamin D it needs when the skin is exposed to reasonable amounts of sunlight," said Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor. "But modern lifestyles and cultural factors often limit children's sun exposure, which makes dietary vitamin D essential."

Infant formulas are fortified with the necessary amount of vitamin D, but human milk contains relatively little. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplemental vitamin D drops for breast-fed babies whose exposure to sunshine is limited.

　　From Healthy.net