Vitamin D is important for kids, and especially breastfed babies, who may not get enough of this essential nutrient. Nicknamed the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D is essential to prevent a nutritional deficiency that causes a painful and disfiguring disease called rickets. Your child gets vitamin D from two sources: the food she eats and sunlight.
Vitamin D Facts
Vitamin D helps your child's body absorb calcium and phosphorus -- minerals needed for strong bones. Vitamin D also encourages a healthy immune system, which may help fend off cancer. When your child's skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D is absorbed through the skin and into the child's body fat, where it's stored and used on an "as needed" basis. Severe vitamin D deficiency in children causes rickets, a condition that's not too common in America. Rickets is typically seen in infants and toddlers between 6 months and two years.
Vitamin D for Kids
Vitamin D recommendations for kids are fairly uniform, regardless of the child's age. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, infants, children and teens up to the age of 18 need 5 mcg, or 200 IU, of vitamin D each day. Vitamin D isn't present in breast milk; your infant's pediatrician may recommend supplemental vitamin D if you breastfeed exclusively. Even some babies who are formula fed may need extra vitamin D, too.
Sources of Vitamin D
Food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish like herring, mackerel, sardines and tuna. Milk, juice and cereals may be fortified with vitamin D as well. A 1-cup serving of milk provides 25 percent of your Daily Value, or DV, for vitamin D based on a 2,000-calorie diet. However, most foods contain only small amounts of vitamin D; between 80 and 90 percent of vitamin D is derived from sun exposure, reports MedlinePlus.
Exposure of the bare skin -- the hands, face, legs and arms -- two to three times weekly for a fraction of the amount of time required for your child to get a slight sunburn is enough to replenish his body with vitamin D. However, sun exposure comes with risks attached such as skin damage and skin cancer. If you have concerns that sun exposure is harmful to your child, talk to his pediatrician.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is important for kids to prevent a painful bone condition called rickets. Some children inherit rickets from their parents, and it can also be caused by certain kidney disorders. Children who don't get enough calcium and phosphorus can also suffer from rickets. Vitamin D, which facilitates absorption of these minerals, is crucial to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Rickets in children is characterized by bowed legs, thick wrists and knees, a protruding abdomen, large forehead and irregular curvature of the spine. Rickets prevents children from walking and growing on a normal timetable. Don't treat your child with supplemental vitamin D if you suspect a deficiency; talk to her pediatrician about your concerns instead.
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