Vitamin C is water soluble, which means your child's body doesn't store it and flushes out what it doesn't need through urine. His body doesn't make or store vitamin C on its own and needs to get it from food or supplements. According to Babycenter, vitamin C deficiencies are rare because the vitamin is found in so many foods. A child who gets sick easily could have vitamin C deficiency, but there could be many other causes. However, if your child has the deficiency, it can affect his ability to fight infections and may result in frequent illness.
Needs
Vitamin C is necessary for health and development. It's an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals in the body, and it repairs blood cells and tissues. According to Babycenter, vitamin C boosts your immune system and helps reduce the risk of infections. If your child is frequently getting sick, her immune system may be having trouble fighting infections due to a vitamin C deficiency.
Other Symptoms
Symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency also include dry hair, dry skin, bleeding gums and easy bruising. Your child may also experience decreased wound healing rate if he doesn't get enough vitamin C.
Recommended Amount
The amount of vitamin C that your child needs varies according to her age. Between birth to 6 months, she needs 40mg a day, MedlinePlus says. That need increases to 50mg a day between 7 and 12 months. She needs only 15mg a day at 1 to 3 and 25mg between 4 and 7. At 8 to 13, she needs 45mg a day and in her teen years between 65mg and 75mg.
Sources
Sources of vitamin C include tomatoes, broccoli, white potatoes, green peppers and citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit. Leafy greens such as spinach and kale also contain calcium, as well as fortified products such as bread and cereal. Spinach in a 1/4 cup serving has 4.5mg calcium, and 1/2 cup orange juice has 50mg. Breast milk and formula have all of the calcium that your child needs for the first six months of life. Vitamins and multivitamins also have calcium, and your child's doctor may recommend supplements if your child has a vitamin C deficiency.
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