Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies among children and adults. Vitamin D plays a vital role in babies' development. This nutritional deficiency in children causes rickets, delayed motor development, muscle weakness, aches and pains, skin problems, and fractures. Other health issues like respiratory infections, food allergies, and asthma also increase due to the lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps maintain optimal calcium and phosphorus levels, the development of immune cells, bone mineralization, and much more.
Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency in Kids
Common signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency in kids are as follows:
- Pain, muscle cramps, and breathing difficulties
- Development delaying like delayed teething, delay in walking
- Calcium imbalance
- Being prone to various respiratory infections
- Poor growth and low weight
- A weakening of heart muscles
- Typical symptoms of rickets like a soft skull, bones of the legs looking curved, severe and repeated bouts of pain in the legs and muscles, and general weakness
Investigations to detect Vitamin D deficiency
Children with low Vitamin D, with or without the signs and symptoms, can benefit from the following investigations:
- Serum Vitamin D (calcidiol) levels
- Serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase
- In those with symptoms/signs of deficiency investigations regarding the following need to be done:
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
- Urine creatinine
- Perform X-ray wrist, ankles, and clinical photography
Interestingly, children get 80% of vitamin D from sunlight and the rest from food. Though the majority of the population in India lives in areas receiving ample sunlight throughout the year, vitamin D deficiency is widespread across the country.
Vitamin D Deficiency can be treated in kids. How?
- Ensure that a child gets enough sunlight every day
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Consult a doctor before starting any therapy
How Can You Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency in Children?
Prevention is always better than cure. Try to follow the following for a better life
- Allow children to play outdoors in sunlight
- Breastfed infants can be prevented by their mother having a balanced Vitamin D dosage during pregnancy and lactation
- Give Vitamin D supplements to kids after the pediatrician's advice
- Give healthy and nutritionist food
- Consult a pediatrician
Unipath specialty laboratory provides home sample collection for your convenience and a range of health tests.If you have any queries, reach us at +91 (79) 4900 6800 or visit www.unipath. for more information.