Anemia and lameness in a vegan adolescent.

A vegan diet in the child and adolescent can induce severe bone sequelae by rickets and osteomalacia and megaloblastic anemia by cobalamin deficiency. Case report. -A 15-year-old adolescent was hospitalized because of lameness and pallor. The lameness was explained by femoral epiphysiolysis caused by rickets with severe hypocalcemia. The pallor, jaundice and splenomegalia w ere due to cobalamin-deficiency megaloblastic anemia. A prolonged supplemen tal diet with calcium, vitamins D and B-12 as well as orthopedic treatment stabilized the bone lesions. The megaloblastic anemia was cured by parenter al cobalamin. The adolescent and his brother were Victims of a diet imposed by a cult and a lack of care due to their parents refusing that a vegan di et was the cause of the deficient pathology. Penal proceedings led to the i ncarceration of the parents and to the placement of the children. Comments. - Deficiencies in calcium and vitamins D and B-12 may be severe i n a child's development with a vegan diet. This case report reveals the soc ial and legal problems of an inappropriate diet in infancy imposed by paren ts who are followers of a fundamentalist church. Beyond the management of c hildren in cults, health professionals have to prevent, screen and suppleme nt the deficient diet. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevie r SAS.