Scurvy presenting as painful gait with bruising in a young boy

A case of scurvy occurred in an apparently well-nourished 5-year-old boy wi th normal growth parameters. Only after the diagnosis of scurvy tvas raised on clinical grounds did we discover the peculiar dietary habits that were responsible for his deficiency of ascorbic acid. His case is a reminder to the clinician that nutritionally based disease may occur in any socioeconom ic setting and that nutritional screening remains an important part of ever y child's general health care.