Vitamin D is required for bone growth and development in children. In the same way, newborns growing in the womb do. Calcium absorption is aided by vitamin D.
Rickets, delayed motor development, muscular weakness, aches and pains, and fractures are all symptoms of severe vitamin D insufficiency in children.
Adults with low vitamin D levels have been related to osteoporosis, some malignancies, heart disease, and diabetes.
If pregnant mothers do not obtain enough vitamin D, their children are more likely to have rickets later in life. If children are given adequate vitamin D after birth, this risk is minimized.
Sunlight and vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced by children's bodies when they are exposed to sunshine on their skin. This is how they obtain roughly 80% of their vitamin D.
Scientists are unsure how much sun Australian youngsters need for adequate vitamin D levels. We do know, however, that the quantity of sun your kid need varies depending on where you reside in Australia and the season.
It also depends on the color of your skin. To synthesize vitamin D, persons with naturally dark skin need 3-6 times the quantity of sunlight that fair-skinned people require.
How much sunlight do kids need to produce vitamin D?
Here's a chart that shows how much sun your youngster needs to generate vitamin D without causing sun damage to his or her skin.
Throughout the year in Brisbane and Darwin, a few minutes on most days of the week should be enough.
In Canberra, Perth, and Sydney, the following is a list of things to do.
- In the months of June and July, 2-3 hours a week should be enough; in the rest of the year, a few minutes most days of the week should suffice.
In Adelaide, Hobart, and Melbourne, the following is a list of things to do.
- In the summer, 2-3 hours per week should be enough; in the winter, a few minutes most days of the week should suffice.
Be sun-aware
You must be cautious about how much sun your children get regardless of where you reside in Australia. Sunburn, skin damage, and even skin cancer may all result from too much exposure to the sun. This is why sun protection is so vital.
Ensure that your kid is protected from the sun throughout the summer, particularly between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., by providing sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, protective clothes, and enough shade.
Consult your doctor for further information and guidance on how much sun is appropriate for your kid.
Food and vitamin D
The majority of youngsters will not obtain enough vitamin D from their diet alone. However, vitamin D-rich foods may supplement the vitamin D your youngster receives from sunlight.
Fresh fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines), liver, mushrooms, and egg yolks are all natural sources of vitamin D.
Vitamin D has been added to several meals. Some low-fat dairy products, breakfast cereals, and margarine are examples. Vitamin D is included in all baby formulas.
Exercise aids in the production of vitamin D in your child's body. By engaging in some regular physical exercise outdoors, your kid may make the most of being outside in the sun.
Deficiency in vitamin D
Vitamin D insufficiency might be a problem for kids if they:
- Keep their whole body covered
- They spend most of their time inside and do not get much or any sunlight.
- Have a condition that affects how the body regulates vitamin D levels, such as liver illness, renal disease, or disorders that make it difficult to absorb food (like coeliac disease or cystic fibrosis)
- Are using medications that may cause vitamin D deficiency
- Have darker skin, having been nursed for a long period, and have a vitamin D deficient mother
Rickets, delayed motor development, muscular weakness, aches and pains, and fractures are all symptoms of vitamin D insufficiency.
Vitamin D insufficiency treatment
If you're concerned about your child's vitamin D levels, or if you're pregnant and suspect you may be deficient in vitamin D, see your doctor.
A blood test, which is the best approach to monitor vitamin D levels, may be ordered by your doctor.
Your doctor may recommend that your kid receive more sun if he or she has modest deficits.
If you or your kid has a severe vitamin D deficiency, your doctor may recommend vitamin D pills as well as greater sun exposure.
If you or your kid can't receive enough sun, your doctor may advise you to take vitamin D pills. You may take a vitamin D supplement in a single high dosage, or you can take it over many weeks or months.
Vitamin D supplements might also be discussed with a dietician.
Solariums, also known as tanning beds or sunbeds, should never be used to boost vitamin D levels or cure vitamin D insufficiency. Commercial solarium operators are prohibited in most states. Solariums have been linked to the development of skin cancer.
Vitamin D, nursing, and pregnancy
Vitamin D reserves in a kid rise throughout development in the womb and fall after delivery, until the infant begins to acquire vitamin D from sunshine and nutrition.
Breastfeeding newborns do not get much vitamin D from breastmilk because breastmilk is deficient in vitamin D. If a nursing mother's vitamin D levels are insufficient, she may not be able to pass on enough vitamin D to her child.
Breastfed newborns with at least one additional risk factor for low vitamin D, such as dark complexion, should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 international units (IU) or 10 micrograms (g). If you believe your newborn is at danger of vitamin D insufficiency, speak with your doctor.
Because infant formula has greater quantities of vitamin D, formula-fed newborns seldom need supplementation.
