Tags: Disease.
Osteomalacia is the softening of the bones caused by defective bone mineralization secondary to inadequate amounts of available phosphorus and calcium or because of overactive resorption of calcium from the bone as a result of hyperparathyroidism (which causes hypercalcemia in contrast to other aetiologies). Osteomalacia in children is known as rickets and because of this use of the term osteomalacia is often restricted to the milder adult form of the disease.