Calcium is the most common mineral in your body, with functions that include hormone and enzyme secretion, muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission and the contraction and expansion of your blood vessels. In addition to these activities, adequate calcium intake in children supports essential bone building and reduces the chances of developing certain bone-related diseases.
The Basics
From early childhood through adolescence, your child's body uses dietary calcium to ensure proper bone growth, according to the Nemours Foundation. This bone-building process is essentially complete by the time your child reaches early adulthood, and calcium deficiencies during adolescence can lead to the eventual development of osteoporosis in later life, especially in females. If your infant or younger child receives insufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D, he can develop rickets, a disease characterized by abnormal bone softness, poor growth and extreme bowing of the legs. If your child's body has insufficient blood calcium for nerve, hormone or muscle function, it will pull calcium from bone to stabilize these processes.
Recommended Intake
The majority of teenage girls and roughly half of teenage boys do not get recommended levels of calcium in their diets, according to Texas Children's Hospital's Pediatric Associates. If your child is between the ages of nine and 18, he should get 1300 milligrams of calcium each day. Children between the ages of four and eight should get 800 mg, while children between the ages of one and three should get 500 mg. Infants and babies under the age of one should get their calcium from breast milk or formula. If possible, children aged 1 or 2 should receive whole milk to guarantee their intake of fats necessary for proper development.
Calcium Absorption
To ensure proper absorption of dietary calcium, your child must also receive adequate amounts of vitamin D, which promotes the absorption process, the Nemours Foundation explains. The recommended intake level for vitamin D is 400 international units per day. Factors known to interfere with your child's absorption and use of calcium include smoking, alcohol use and drinking sodas or other caffeinated beverages.
Calcium Sources
In addition to milk, the Nemours Foundation lists good dietary sources of calcium that include cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese, almonds, bok choy, white beans, red beans, broccoli, rhubarb, collard greens and calcium-fortified tofu. If your child cannot properly process the lactose content of dairy products, you can buy lactose-free or low-lactose products at many stores. If your child has milk allergies, you can try fortified substitutes such as soy milk or products made from rice. If your child is a vegetarian, you can help him meet his calcium needs by buying calcium-fortified cereals, juices and rice and soy products.
Considerations
Some teenage girls avoid dairy products to promote weight loss or avoid gaining weight, the Nemours Foundation notes. However, by using skim-milk products, your teenager can get adequate amounts of calcium while ingesting minimal calories and no fat. Additionally, teenage girls who get adequate amounts of calcium can have lower levels of body fat and weigh less than girls who have lower calcium intake.
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