Vitamin D Supplementation

What Does Vitamin D Do?

Vitamin D helps your child build strong bones and prevent rickets. Rickets is a condition of softening of the bones that can occur in growing children.

When Does My Child Need Vitamin D? And How Much?

All children need vitamin D beginning shortly after birth.

How Can I Make Sure My Child is Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Did You Know?

Fortified cow’s milk is not recommended for children younger than 12 months old.

It may put your baby at risk for intestinal bleeding. It also has too many proteins and minerals for your infant’s kidneys to handle and does not have the right amount of nutrients your infant needs.

For babies who are receiving any breast milk:

• Breast milk usually does not provide all the vitamin D a baby needs, so breastfed babies will need a supplemental source. Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse about giving your child over-the-counter vitamin D drops. These drops contain enough vitamin D (400 IU each day).

For babies who are receiving infant formula:

• The amount of infant formula your child drinks per day can depend on your child’s age.
• 32 ounces of standard infant formula per day contains 400 IU of vitamin D. If your baby is drinking less than this amount per day, he or she may need a vitamin D supplement.
• Talk with your child’s doctor or nurse if you would like help making sure your child is getting enough vitamin D from the infant formula you use.

For children who have started eating solid foods:

Did You Know?

Fortified cow’s milk is a great source of vitamin D for children over 12 months old.

Most cow’s milk sold in stores is fortified with vitamin D. Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse about vitamin D at your child’s next check-up.

Make sure your child’s diet has foods with vitamin D. Some examples of foods with vitamin D include:

• Some Fish (for example, salmon or light canned tuna).
• Eggs.
• Vitamin D-  products like cow’s milk (for children 12 months and older), yogurt, cereals, and some juices.

Vitamin D supplements are another way to help children get enough vitamin D every day.

You should not expose neonate to direct sunglight for extended period of time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping infants younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight and protecting them with clothing and hats to decrease their risk of skin cancer.external icon Sunlight is not a consistent source of vitamin D and there are a number of factors that determine the amount of vitamin D a child will synthesize from sunlight.  Factors that interfere with vitamin D production include:

• Living at high latitudes (closer to the Polar Regions), particularly during winter months.
• Air quality conditions: high levels of air pollution.
• Weather conditions: dense cloud covering.
• The degree to which clothing covers the skin.
• Use of sunscreen.
• Skin pigmentation: darker skin types.

Talk with your child’s doctor or nurse if you would like help making sure your child is getting enough vitamin D.

This information was obtained from CDC.com and is being used for educational purpose.