YM Ng, SMY Wong, AKH Lee

Abstract

Nutritional rickets is a rare disorder in modern society. We report the case of a patient with rickets presenting with genu valgum (knock-knees). Subsequent investigations revealed the patient had insufficient total blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D owing to prolonged breastfeeding. He was treated successfully with calciferol for a period of 6 months followed by maintenance therapy with multivitamins and nutritional advice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of nutritional rickets due to prolonged breastfeeding in Hong Kong. The ensuing discussion highlights the need to provide adequate guidance on vitamin supplementation to breastfeeding mothers to prevent vitamin deficiency in their infants.