Which nutritional disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin-D?

Appeared in: NORCET 3 - 2022 (Shift-1)

Explanation

Rickets is the disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D in children.
Vitamin D is crucial for the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus from the intestines.
A lack of Vitamin D leads to insufficient mineralization of the bones, making them soft, weak, and prone to deformities.
Classic signs of rickets include bowed legs, delayed growth, and bone pain.

Option A: Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), not Vitamin D.
Option C: Beri-beri is caused by a deficiency of Thiamine (Vitamin B1), not Vitamin D.
Option D: Pellagra is caused by a deficiency of Niacin (Vitamin B3), not Vitamin D.

Visual 1: Diagram - A comparison of a healthy child's legs versus the bowed legs (genu varum) characteristic of a child with rickets. This helps visualize the primary skeletal deformity.
Visual 2: Infographic - A summary table of fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, their key functions, and their corresponding deficiency diseases.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Nutritional diseases caused by vitamin deficiencies helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a key role in identifying at-risk populations for Vitamin D deficiency, such as exclusively breastfed infants, older adults, individuals with limited sun exposure, and those with dark skin.
Patient education is a critical nursing intervention, focusing on dietary sources of Vitamin D, the importance of safe sun exposure, and adherence to supplementation when prescribed.
What if? If the patient were an adult instead of a child, the condition caused by Vitamin D deficiency would be called osteomalacia, which involves bone softening and pain, rather than the specific growth plate deformities seen in rickets.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of vitamins and their deficiency diseases.
First, identify the key nutrient in the question: 'Vitamin D'.
Next, review the options provided: Scurvy, Rickets, Beri Beri, and Pellagra.
Recall or deduce the specific disease associated with a lack of Vitamin D.
Mentally link each option to its corresponding vitamin deficiency to confirm the correct answer and rule out the distractors (Scurvy/Vit C, Beri-Beri/Vit B1, Pellagra/Vit B3).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NORCET 3 - 2022 (Shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.