What is renal osteodystrophy? The medical term "renal" describes
things related to the kidneys. Renal osteodystrophy is a bone
disease that occurs when your kidneys fail to maintain the
proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in your blood. It's a
common problem in people with kidney disease and affects 90
percent of dialysis patients. Renal osteodystrophy is most
serious in children because their bones are still growing. The
condition slows bone growth and causes deformities. One such
deformity occurs when the legs bend inward toward each other or
outward away from each other; this deformity is referred to as
"renal rickets." Another important consequence is short stature.
Symptoms can be seen in growing children with renal disease even
before they start dialysis. The bone changes from renal
osteodystrophy can begin many years before symptoms appear in
adults with kidney disease. For this reason, it's called the
"silent crippler." The symptoms of renal osteodystrophy aren't
usually seen in adults until they