Children need a balanced diet that includes vitamin C to stay healthy. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that helps protect your body from the effects of pollution and strengthens your immune system. If you don't get enough vitamin C, you may get sick more often, and you may bruise more easily. Though most children suffer from their share of bumps and bruises, excessive bruising could be a sign of a vitamin C deficiency. Most children get the vitamin C they need from their diets.
Bruising
When blood vessels under the skin leak blood, a bruise forms. Usually an injury damages blood vessels, but some people will bruise from only a minor bump. Vitamin C helps your body form collagen, which helps build strong tendons, ligaments, bones and blood vessels. Stronger blood vessels are less likely to rupture and lead to a bruise. Bruising is one sign of a vitamin C deficiency.
Children's Needs
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Institutes of Health sets a recommended daily allowance, or RDA of vitamin C for children and infants. Infants up to six months need about 40 mg of vitamin C daily, increasing to 50 mg at one year. From ages one to three, the RDA drops to 15 mg a day, 25 mg for ages four through eight, and 45 mg for ages nine to thirteen. When children hit adolescence, the requirements for boys and girls differ slightly. Boys aged fourteen to eighteen have a recommended daily allowance of 75 mg, while the RDA for girls in this age group is 65 mg.
Sources
Citrus fruit and juices are good sources of vitamin C for children. Six ounces of orange juice can provide 62 to 93 mg of vitamin C, or more than a day's RDA for most children. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, so any vitamin C your body doesn't need is flushed out in urine. Tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers and potatoes also contain vitamin C, as do fortified beverages and cereal.
Other Considerations
Children with chronic diseases or who live in a house with a smoker may need more vitamin C. Consult your doctor for recommendations. Though bruising can be a sign of insufficient vitamin C, illnesses such as kidney or liver disease can also lead to bruising. If your child bruises easily, consult a physician for advice.
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