Signs Of Osteogensis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), sometimes called brittle bone disease, is a disease that causes bones to weaken and break easily. In some cases of OI, the disease can become so severe that bones break without any discernable reason. Osteogenesis imperfecta also causes a host of other potential problems including hearing loss, brittle teeth, and weak muscles. It is estimated somewhere between twenty and fifty thousand individuals are currently afflicted by OI. The leading cause of this condition is one of several possible genes is not functioning correctly, which leads to the inability to produce enough collagen or the production of collagen that does not work. Collagen is the biggest key factor in bone strength. Children with osteogenesis imperfecta generally inherit their OI gene from one or both parents, although there are some cases where this is not the case. These are some of the major telltale signs of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Easily Broken Bones

Easily broken bones are the main hallmark of the disease, which is why it is called brittle bone disease. When a child's genes are contributing incorrectly to the production of collagen, it causes a lack of collagen throughout the body. Unfortunately, without collagen, bones become brittle and easily broken.

Osteogenesis imperfecta presents with eight main types. Type 2, 3, 7, and 8 all tend to present with severe symptoms. In these cases, the patient's bones might break so easily they snap or fracture with no external cause whatsoever. Patients with type 4, 5, or 6 will experience symptoms more moderately. Their bones may break due to external forces that wouldn't usually cause bone damage. Type 1 tends to cause mild symptoms, and these patients simply need to be very careful about their body.

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