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Patient education: Vitamin D for babies and children (The Basics)

Patient education: Vitamin D for babies and children (The Basics)

Why is vitamin D important for babies and children? — Babies and children need vitamin D to grow normally and develop healthy bones.

What can happen if babies and children don't get enough vitamin D? — Babies and children who don't get enough vitamin D can get a condition called "rickets." Rickets can make bones thin and weak. Some children with rickets have legs that bend to the side, called "bow-legs" (picture 1).

Is my baby or child at risk of getting too little vitamin D? — Maybe. If your baby only gets breast milk, or breast milk and some formula, they need extra vitamin D. Breast milk has most of the nutrients a baby needs, but it does not have enough vitamin D in it.

Babies and children can also be at risk if they:

Do not drink enough milk or eat other foods with vitamin D in them

Have dark skin

Spend most of their time inside or live in a place with little sun

Were born premature

Take certain medicines

Have a medical condition that makes it hard to get enough vitamin D, such as cystic fibrosis or celiac disease

How can I make sure that my baby or child gets enough vitamin D? — To get enough vitamin D for healthy bones, most babies and children need to either:

Have plenty of drinks or foods that have vitamin D added. (This is called "fortified.") The most common ones are milk, yogurt, and baby formula. They need at least 2 to 3 servings of these drinks or foods every day to get enough vitamin D.

Take a vitamin D supplement. Supplements are liquids, pills, or capsules that have nutrients in them.

What foods and drinks have vitamin D? — Foods and drinks that have a lot of vitamin D include (figure 1):

Baby formula, milk, yogurt, or orange juice with vitamin D added

Cooked salmon or mackerel

Canned tuna fish

Cereals with vitamin D added

Cod liver oil

Your baby or child can also get vitamin D from the sun. The body uses sunlight that shines on the skin to make vitamin D. Playing outside can help your child exercise and get vitamin D at the same time. But it is important to ask your child's doctor or nurse how much sun is enough. Your child should wear sunscreen at least part of the time to prevent sunburn and other problems caused by too much sun.

How much vitamin D does my baby or child need? — Experts recommend that all babies under 1 year old get 400 international units (10 micrograms) of vitamin D a day, starting a few days after birth. If your baby only drinks breast milk, they should get a vitamin D supplement. You can buy liquid vitamin D drops for babies at most pharmacies.

Children should get 600 international units (15 micrograms) a day. If your child does not get this amount from milk or other foods, they should take a supplement. Most children's multivitamins have enough vitamin D, but check the label or talk with your child's doctor or nurse if you're not sure. If your child has a hard time getting enough vitamin D (for example, if they cannot have milk or dairy products), they might need to take more.

Talk to a doctor or nurse about which type of vitamin D to give your baby or child, how much, and when to give the supplements. The right dose depends on your child's diet, whether they have any medical conditions, and other factors. Do not give more than the amount your child's doctor or nurse recommends.

Is there a test for vitamin D? — Yes. Your child's doctor or nurse can do a blood test to check your child's vitamin D levels.

More on this topic

Patient education: Calcium and vitamin D for bone health (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Health and nutrition during breastfeeding (The Basics)
Patient education: Vitamin D deficiency (The Basics)

Patient education: Calcium and vitamin D for bone health (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vitamin D deficiency (Beyond the Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Feb 02, 2024.
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