National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Juvenile osteoporosis



Other Names:
Idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis; Osteoporosis, juvenile; IJO
Categories:

Juvenile osteoporosis is a condition of bone demineralization characterized by pain in the back and extremities, multiple fractures, difficulty walking, and evidence of osteoporosis.[1][2] Symptoms typically develop just before puberty. Osteoporosis is rare in children and adolescents. When it does occur, it is usually caused by an underlying medical disorder or by medications used to treat the disorder. This is called secondary osteoporosis. Sometimes, however, there is no identifiable cause of osteoporosis in a child. This is known as idiopathic osteoporosis. There is no established medical or surgical therapy for juvenile osteoporosis. In some cases, treatment is not necessary, as the condition resolves spontaneously. Early diagnosis may allow for preventive steps, including physical therapy, avoidance of weight-bearing activities, use of crutches and other supportive care. A well-balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is also important. In severe, long-lasting cases, medications such as bisphosphonates may be used. In most cases, complete recovery of bone occurs.[2] 
Last updated: 5/30/2012

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Bone pain 0002653
Osteoporosis 0000939
Recurrent fractures
Increased fracture rate
Increased fractures
Multiple fractures
Multiple spontaneous fractures
Varying degree of multiple fractures
[ more ]
0002757
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Gait disturbance
Abnormal gait
Abnormal walk
Impaired gait
[ more ]
0001288
Vertebral compression fractures
Compression fracture
0002953
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Kyphosis
Hunched back
Round back
[ more ]
0002808
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Low serum calcitriol 0012052
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Osteogenesis imperfecta (see this term) is the main differential diagnosis.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Juvenile osteoporosis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • The Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium (BBD) is an integrated group of academic medical centers, patient support organizations, and clinical research resources dedicated to conducting clinical research on Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). The goal of the consortium is to learn more about the disease, develop therapies, and to inform the public about the latest research and information about OI. The BBD has a contact registry for patients who wish to be contacted about clinical research opportunities and updates on the progress of the research projects.

    For more information on the registry see: https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/registry/index.htm

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Juvenile osteoporosis. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center provides patients, health professionals, and the public with an important link to resources and information on metabolic bone diseases, including osteoporosis, Paget's disease of the bone, osteogenesis imperfecta, and hyperparathyroidism. Contact them directly by calling toll-free at 800-624-2663 or by e-mail at NIAMSBoneInfo@mail.nih.gov

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Juvenile osteoporosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Quartier Dit Maire P. Idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis. Orphanet. April 2009; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/Disease_Search.php?lng=EN&data_id=11651&Disease_Disease_Search_diseaseGroup=Idiopathic-juvenile-osteoporosis&Disease_Disease_Search_diseaseType=Pat&Disease(s)/group%20of%20diseases=Idiopathic-juvenile-osteoporosis&. Accessed 5/30/2012.
  2. Juvenile Osteoporosis. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. January 2012; http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Juvenile/juvenile_osteoporosis.asp. Accessed 5/30/2012.