Osteoporosis eMedicine Pediatrics

Description: the official definition of osteoporosis does not pertain to children at the present time. However, at an NIH Consensus Conference in 2000, osteoporosis was defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength that predisposes to an increased risk of fracture. Adult-onset osteoporosis also involves loss of bone trabecular structure; however, no evidence indicates that this occurs in children. Therefore, children exhibiting low bone mass are defined as osteopenic, not osteoporotic.
Synonyms and related keywords: osteoporosis, low bone mass, osteopenia, juvenile osteoporosis, paediatric
Gordon L Klein, MD, MPH 2006