Primary vitamin D deficiency in children

In recent years, the prevalence of vitamin D (calciferol) deficiency has increased and rickets has re-emerged in the UK and other developed countries as a public health problem. Infants, toddlers and adolescents in 'at risk' ethnic minorities (e.g. Asian, African Caribbean and Middle Eastern) are particularly likely to be vitamin D-deficient or to have rickets. Also at particular risk are babies and toddlers who have been exclusively breast-fed during infancy without receiving vitamin supplements, or whose mothers did not have vitamin D supplements during pregnancy. Here we discuss the management of children with primary vitamin D deficiency (i.e. that due to nutrient deficiency).