Vitamins are essential for normal development and growth. Vitamin D ensures that the cells have enough calcium, and the B vitamins are vital for the nervous system, brain and red blood cells; they are also used in the metabolism of carbohydrates. An infant with a vitamin D deficiency may not have enough calcium, while a vitamin B12 deficiency can affect the red blood cells and nervous system.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Carol Wagner, M.D., reports in the November 2008 issue of "Pediatrics" that infants are still developing rickets from not having enough sunlight or enough vitamin D. As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that every infant should have at least 400 IU of vitamin D every day from the first few days after birth. Vitamin D becomes active when the ultraviolet radiation from the sun, UV-B, reaches the skin. However, direct sunlight is associated with the risk of skin cancer. Thus, the recommendation is that infants less than 6 months old should not have direct sunlight, but it is essential for them to have vitamin D supplements.
Rickets in Infants
Rickets is a bone disorder caused by a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D instructs the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium, a mineral needed for strong, healthy bones. A vitamin D deficiency can result in bones getting less calcium than they require. Infants with rickets can be irritable and very drowsy, and they can catch a lot of respiratory infections. They may also have signs of low blood calcium, including diarrhea, twitching, muscle cramps and seizures, according to "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics" by Philip Zeitler, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Short Bowel Syndrome
Short bowel syndrome is a disorder in which you are not absorbing nutrients because surgery has removed a large section of your small intestines or you have an intestinal disease. The most common reason for an infant to have this disorder is from the surgery to treat necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious disease that mainly affects premature infants, in which the intestinal lining gets ulcers and falls off, according to "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery" by Craig Albanese, M.D., professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. The diseased intestines may need to be removed; if the last part of the small intestines is affected, vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
The small intestines have three sections, called the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the ileum, which is why short bowel syndrome can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency. According to Lori Brizee, clinical dietitian at Children's Hospital in Seattle, an infant with short bowel syndrome that has affected the ileum may need to have vitamin B12 injections every one to three months and have the vitamin B12 level monitored every six months to one year for a period of three to five years. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to weight loss and anemia. It can also cause several neurological problems.
References
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics"; William Hay, Jr., M.D., Myron Levin, M.D. et al.; 2011
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery"; Gerard Doherty, M.D.; 2010
- "Handbook of Pathophysiology"; Elizabeth Corwin, MSN, Ph.D., FNP; 2000
- "Pediatrics"; Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency; Carol Wagner, M.D., et al.; 2008
- "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals"; Vitamin B12; Larry Johnson, M.D., Ph.D.; 2007
- University of Washington: Short Bowel Syndrome
Member Comments