Children with low bone density can take part in games and any activities that don’t put stress on their bones

Meet the Heroine: Rivkah

Hello, my name is Rivkah, and I am 11 years old. I live in the United States, and I attend Bais Yaakov elementary school. I am a friendly, fun person to be around. If you met me, you wouldn’t notice anything that looks different from other girls my age.

Low bone density only affects some areas of life. Children with low bone density can take part in games and any activities that don’t put stress on their bones.

What exactly is your health challenge, Rivkah?

I happen to have a medical condition called low bone density. This means that my bones are very delicate. There are things that most kids do that I can’t because my bones break easily. My bones break so often, that whenever I get a small bruise, we have to make sure it’s not from a broken bone. Each time I break a bone, I have to wear a cast for four to six weeks, though sometimes a brace or splint is enough.

How did you discover that you have this condition?

I was very short when I was younger. We went to an endocrinologist to understand why I wasn’t as tall as other girls my age. When we told him about my medical history, we mentioned that I have recurrent bone fractures. In the beginning, the doctor didn’t think it was serious enough to investigate, but when I broke another bone, he sent me to do a medical imaging test called a bone density scan or DEXA.

What causes this condition to occur?

I took a lot of blood work to see why, but the doctors were never completely sure. I was tested for many possible conditions, including Celiac and Osteogenesis Imperfecta. A person with celiac may break her bones because her condition prevents her body from absorbing nutrients needed to build strong bones. Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a genetic bone disease where the body is unable to produce collagen, which is necessary to build healthy bones. The tests showed that I don’t have either of these conditions. In my case, no one really knows what caused it.