Skeletal System - Rickets

Disease/Disorder: Osteomalacia in children

Common Name: Rickets

Age of Onset: 6 to 24 months old and is uncommon in newborns.

Duration: If the disorder is not corrected while the child is still growing, then the skeletal deformaties will be permanent.

Commoness: It occurs equally in both genders, yet people with dark skin are at an increased risk. Overall it is rare in the United States.

Cause: Vitamin D is vital in controling calcium and phosphate levels in the body. If the body is deficient in vitamin D then the body tends to produce other hormones to stimulate the release of calcium and phosphate from the bones, which leads to the weakening and softening of bones. Lack of vitamin D production occurs in people who do not recieve enough exposure to sunlight.

Symptoms: These include bone pain or tenderness, skeletal deformaties (bowed legs, forward projection of the breastbone, bumps in the rib cage, oddly-shaped skull), increased tendency for bone fractures, dental deformaties, muscle cramps, impaired growth, and short stature.

Prognosis: The symptoms are slow in onset. In the beginning there is restlessness and irratibilty. Also, the child has issues with unnatural appetite, enlarged abdomen, and then loss of weight. Later, the child becomes easily tired and innactive with the softening of the bones and the developing of skeletal deformaties.

Treatment: The replacement of calcium, phosphorus, or vitamin D will eliminate most symptoms of rickets when the child is growing. Bracing may also be used to reduce or prevent deformaties. Later on in life, skeletal deformaties may require corrective surgery.

Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000344.htm

Integumentary System - Vitiligo

Disease/Disorder: Vitiligo

Common Name: Vitiligo

Age of Onset: Half of the people diagnosed with vitiligo develop the disease before age 20. Almost all of the remaining half develop it before age 40.

Duration: Vitiligo is a lifetime disease though there are several treatment options available for improving the appearance of the infected areas.

Males/Females/Equal: Vitiligo affects both sexes and all races equally.

Cause: The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown though researchers have developed several theories. The first theory and most widely accepted view is that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that causes depigmentation because the body produces proteins called cytokines that alter the pigment-producing cells and cause these cells to die. The second theory is that melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, destroy themselves. It is also possible that vitiligo is hereditary for 30% of people with vitiligo have a family member that also shares the disease.

Symptoms: Vitiligo produces white patches (depigmentation) on the skin. The most common areas for depigmentation are sun-exposed areas of the body including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Though it is possible that vitiligo can also appear around the armpits, groin, mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, genitals, and rectal areas. Vitiligo may also bring about premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard.

Prognosis (progression of disease): There are three patterns that determine the progression of vitiligo. The focal pattern has depigmentation limited to only one or a few areas of the body. The segmental pattern has depigmentation develop on one side of the body. Focal and segmental pattern vitiligo remain localized to their one part of the body and do not spread. The generalized pattern is the most common pattern of vitiligo and does spread as it has depigmentation develop symmetrically on both sides of the body. The speed to which vitiligo spreads depends on the person. In some the progression of depigmentation can occur slowly over many years and in others the progression is fairly rapid.

Treatment Options: The objective in treating vitiligo is to improve the appearance of the developed white patches through medical, surgical, and/or adjunctive therapies. Therapy is a lengthy process that must be continued for 6 to 18 months. Furthermore the choice of therapy depends greatly on several individual factors including the number of white patches, their location, sizes, and how widespread they are. As surgical options, one can apply skin grafts, micropigmentation (tattooing), or autologous melanocyte transplants.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/vitiligo/article.htm