Vitamin D deficiency in children

Vitamin D is considered one of the basic elements that the body needs in various activities and helps a person to get enough of the vitamin as the body needs it. In this article, we present what vitamin D deficiency is, its symptoms, and its risk factors.

What is vitamin D deficiency in children?

Vitamin D is of great importance to all dental work, including children, because it is seen in building a strong skeleton and avoiding the child from developing osteomalacia and rickets. Of course, minerals and vitamins in general make the child’s body grow and be more able to resist diseases.

Adults and children are equally in need of a balanced diet rich in various vitamins and minerals that provide them with the important nutrients to form a healthy body and keep them away from disease, and in the event of a deficiency in supplying the body with the vitamins it needs, this causes many health disorders and problems.

Vitamin D deficiency in children has several risks that can be identified in the following:

• The child is more susceptible to rickets.
• Deformation of the formation of the teeth.
• More exposure to fractures.
• Digestive health problems.
• Low level of calcium in the body.
• Arched legs.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in children

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency appear in children and affect the children’s skeleton and immune system. The signs appear as follows:

• Feeling lazy and exhausted.
• The presence of pain in the bones.
• The prominence of the breastbone.
• A feeling of growth retardation.
• Impaired motor skills.

Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in children

Some factors increase the chances of vitamin D deficiency in children, as follows:

• Being at home: Being at home most of the time deprives the child of exposure to the sun, which is one of the most important sources of vitamin D, and thus causes a deficiency of the vitamin.
• Dark-skinned children: Dark-skinned children are at risk of vitamin D deficiency because skin color acts as a sunscreen and does not help absorb vitamin D.
• Premature birth: Premature birth of babies is one factor that increases vitamin D deficiency in the body.

When should I stop vitamin D for a child?

Vitamin D deficiency can be discovered in children from an early age, and the mother should take care of the appropriate treatment regimen for the child, whether with appropriate foods and nutritional supplements, and increase the time the child is exposed to the sun, but the date to stop taking vitamin D must be determined by the specialist doctor for his full knowledge of the child’s condition.