Rickets

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rickets

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific nomenclature?Rachitis, derived from the Greek 'rhakhítēs' meaning 'in or of the spine'
2. What is the diagnostic indicators?Clinical deformities, biochemical findings (hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase), and radiographic changes
3. Why do kids get rickets?Kids can get rickets when they don’t eat enough vitamin D, don’t get enough sun, or have trouble absorbing nutrients from food.
4. How does sunshine help prevent rickets?Sunlight helps the body make vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus that keep bones strong.

Osteoid: The unmineralized organic matrix of bone tissue, which normally hardens with calcium and phosphorus.
Epiphyseal Growth Plate: A layer of cartilage in growing bones where new bone tissue is formed, responsible for longitudinal growth.
Homeostasis: The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment, such as balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus.
Hypophosphatemia: An abnormally low level of phosphate in the blood.