Resurgence of Victorian disease in children causing bone deformities and seizures with 380% increase in hotspot

YOU might assume that the diseases that reigned during the Victorian era would have been eliminated by modern medicine.

But some have resurfaced in a worrying way in recent years, one of them being rickets, a disease that deforms the bones.

Think of Charles Dickens’ character Tiny Tim, whose crippled legs may have been caused by the disease, according to modern doctors.

Although the disease was common in the past, it mostly disappeared in the Western world during the early 20th century after foods such as margarine and cereals were fortified with vitamin D.

Now regions of the UK have reported a surprising rise in rickets, with cases in places like East Kent rising sharply over the past five years.

Rickets, once synonymous with poverty and poor diets in Victorian Britain, affects children’s bone development, causing bone pain, stunted growth and soft, weak bones that can lead to deformities.

A lack of vitamin D – derived from sunlight and some foods – or calcium is the most common cause of the disease, although in rare cases children can be born with a genetic form of rickets.

If left untreated, the condition can also cause abnormal curvature of the spine, dental defects, and seizures.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust – one of the largest in England – recorded 122 cases in 2019.

But by 2023, that number had risen to more than 580 – a 380% increase – according to a freedom of information request.

Figures released earlier this year show that 28,379 Brits were diagnosed with rickets between 2019 and 2023.

Poverty and malnutrition may be factors fueling the rise in scurvy cases in East Kent, as parts of Thanet are among the poorest in England – more than 20 percent of its population makes up the poorest 10 percent of the population. most deprived Britons, according to KentOnline.

But the rise in cases could also be due to doctors getting better at detecting the Victorian disease.

East Kent chief medical officer Des Holden said: “We interpret that part of the increase is due to greater recognition and more accurate recording of rickets.

“Our neonatal teams are robust in recommending vitamin D for at-risk babies, including mothers with low vitamin D status.

“There is also greater awareness among our staff to track vitamin D levels.

“For example, vitamin D screening is now included in our guidelines for children with obesity, as this group is at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.

“Children with rickets may have previously been recorded as having vitamin D deficiency and treated accordingly, but we have improved recording in our coding systems that they meet the criteria for diagnosing rickets.”

Figures from NHS England show a sharp rise in hospital admissions for vitamin D deficiency – from 31,576 admissions in 2013/14 to 188,114 last year – which can lead to the skeletal disorder if left untreated.

Sarah Calcutt, chief executive of City Harvest, a charity that wants to reduce food insecurity, said: “There is a whole Dickensian list of illnesses that arise because people’s diets are missing important food groups.”

Vitamin D comes from skin exposure to sunlight, but it is also found in foods such as oily fish, eggs and some cereals.

The vitamin is essential for the formation of strong and healthy bones in children.

Any child who doesn’t get enough vitamin D or calcium – whether through diet or sunlight – can develop rickets.

But according to the NHS, it’s more common in dark-skinned children, as they need more sunlight to get enough vitamin D, as well as in children born prematurely or who take medications that interfere with vitamin D.

Previously, experts claimed that the rising cost of living was likely to be behind the rise in rickets and scurvy – another Victorian-era disease – as parents struggled to afford fruit and vegetables and were instead forced to buy cheaper junk food that lacks vital vitamins and minerals. .

Preventing rickets

Medway GP Dr Julian Spinks says people of all ages should follow national guidance and take vitamin D supplements to avoid the completely preventable condition.

“We thought we got rid of him. But now he’s back,” he told KentOnline.

“There is a possibility, if a pregnant woman is very deficient, that the baby will be born with a relative lack of vitamin D.

“However, in most cases it is because they are not getting enough vitamin D and the two main ways we get it in the UK are through sunlight – particularly from April to September – and through food.

“Definitely diet plays a role. If children don’t eat things like oily fish or eggs or, for example, breakfast cereals which are often supplemented with vitamin D – then that will have an effect.

“Although it is a very small proportion of the population, it is worrying that this is returning and it is because it is a very preventable condition.”

For most children, rickets can be successfully treated by ensuring they eat foods that contain calcium and vitamin D or by taking vitamin supplements.

Some families are entitled to free vitamin supplements from the government Healthy Start scheme.

The scheme can also support families experiencing financial difficulties in purchasing healthy food and milk.

For those who are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years of age and are eligible, a benefit card is loaded every four weeks to help purchase fresh food.

The card can also be used to collect Healthy Start vitamins for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, as well as vitamin drops for babies and young children up to four years old.