Symptoms and Complications
The main symptom of osteomalacia is bone pain, which occurs most often in the hips. Bone tenderness may also occur in the arms, legs, and spine and, as osteomalacia progresses, weakness may also develop.
Because low levels of vitamin D prevent calcium absorption, people with vitamin D deficiency may also associated have symptoms of low calcium such as muscle spasm, cramping and numbness, tingling in the limbs, and numbness around the mouth or in the hands and feet.
Babies with rickets have difficulty sitting and crawling and are slow to walk. Rickets can also lead to bowed legs, an abnormally shaped skull, spine deformities, or "pigeon breast" (protrusion of the breastbone) in older children. Rickets can also cause a child to be shorter than average.