The effect of vitamin D supplementation and nutritional intake on skeletal maturity and bone health in socio-economically deprived children.

Purpose: 1. To determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone age (BA), a marker of skeletal maturity, and Bone Health Index (BHI), a surrogate marker of bone density. 2.

Metabolic bone disease of prematurity: causes, recognition, prevention, treatment and long-term consequences.

Metabolic bone disease of prematurity (MBDP) is characterised by skeletal demineralisation, and in severe cases it can result in fragility fractures of long bones and ribs during routine handling. MBDP arises from prenatal and postnatal factors. Infants who are born preterm are deprived of fetal mineral accumulation, 80% of which occurs in the third trimester.