Osteoporosis is a disease that causes a decrease in bone mass, putting you at risk for broken bone. Most cases of osteoporosis show up in adult postmenopausal women. However, it is possible for children and teens to develop juvenile osteoporosis. This most often occurs in children between the ages of 8 and 14. It sometimes develops in younger children during growth spurts.

Juvenile osteoporosis in children is hard to define. Bone density scans are the most accurate way to detect reduction in bone mass early on. But this type of scanning can't be used the way it is with adults to make a clear diagnosis in children. Instead, doctors usually diagnose juvenile osteoporosis when there is evidence of a fragile skeleton. This might show up when a bone breaks without trauma, such as from a serious fall, and a bone mineral density score is below -2.0.

Types of Juvenile Osteoporosis

There are two kinds of juvenile osteoporosis: secondary and idiopathic.

Secondary osteoporosis refers to osteoporosis that develops as a result of another medical condition. This is by far the most common kind of juvenile osteoporosis. Some of the diseases that can lead to osteoporosis in children include:

Juvenile arthritis
Diabetes
Cystic fibrosis
Leukemia
Osteogenesis imperfecta ("brittle bone disease")
Homocystinuria (a genetic metabolic disorder)
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperparathyroidism
Cushing's syndrome
Malabsorption syndromes
Anorexia nervosa
Kidney disease

Sometimes juvenile osteoporosis is a direct result of disease itself. With rheumatoid arthritis, for example, children may have lower than expected bone mass, especially near arthritic joints. Certain drugs can also lead to juvenile osteoporosis. These can include chemotherapy for cancer, anticonvulsants for seizures, or steroids for arthritis. If your child has one of these conditions, talk to his or her doctor about carefully monitoring bone density.

Idiopathic osteoporosis means that there is no known cause of the disease. This type of juvenile osteoporosis is much less common. As of 1997, only about 150 cases had been reported in the medical literature. Boys have the condition more often than girls. It develops most often just before the onset of puberty. Then the children's bone density increases during puberty. Although most of the bone density may return during puberty, children with juvenile osteoporosis usually have lower peak bone mass as adults.

No matter what the cause, juvenile osteoporosis is a very serious condition. You build about 90% of your bone mass by the time you're 18 to 20. Losing bone mass during prime bone-building years can put a child at serious risk for long-term complications such as fractures.

Symptoms of Juvenile Osteoporosis

The signs and symptoms of juvenile osteoporosis include:

Pain in the lower back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet
Difficulty walking
Fractures in legs, ankles, or feet

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As You Journey through Menopause, Vivelle-Dot Is By Your Side

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INDICATION

Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).

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Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.

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Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.

Prescribing Information