Pediatricians have long advised against giving infants vitamin supplements because your baby should obtain all of the nutrition she needs from her formula or your breast milk. Too much of a vitamin or mineral supplement can make your baby very ill. Giving your infant a vitamin D supplement can cause a condition called hypercalcemia, which can be fatal.
Infant Vitamin D Requirements
Infants only require 200 IU of vitamin D per day, which most breastfed infants can receive through breast milk and sunlight unless the mother has a vitamin D deficiency. Infant formulas are also fortified with vitamin D. Your infant probably does not require a supplement even if he is bottle fed, but if you have concerns, see your pediatrician to have your infant assessed for normal bone growth.
Hypercalcemia
Hypercalcemia can be caused by many factors, including an overdose of vitamin D. This condition is marked by refusal to eat, constipation, vomiting or sweating. The longer an infant has elevated levels of calcium in her blood, the more she will be affected. Some infants are affected less than others. For example, some babies may have a markedly elevated calcium level in their blood and exhibit no symptoms whereas others have a mildly toxic level and exhibit severe symptoms of hypercalcemia.
Treatment
If your infant is diagnosed with hypercalcemia, he will need immediate medical treatment. The treatment may vary according to the level of calcium in his system, but the pediatrician will probably give him fluids intravenously as well as medications such as pamidronate or furosemide to help reduce his levels of calcium to a normal amount. Your infant will probably require hospitalization to make sure that he improves and that more severe symptoms do not set in, such as hypertension or irregular heartbeats.
Prevention
You can prevent hypercalcemia due to excessive vitamin D by not giving your infant any supplements without your pediatrician's approval. Most pediatricians will only prescribe a vitamin supplement if your baby shows symptoms of a deficiency or if he has reason to believe that your child requires the supplement, such as if she suffers from a condition that can affect her ability to absorb vitamin D. In addition, avoid giving your infant cow's milk before she is 1 year old. Her stomach doesn't yet have the ability to break down cow's milk and the added vitamin D may cause an overdose.
References
- Side Effects of Drugs Annual 29; Jeffrey K. Aronson
- Pediatric Nutrition in Chronic Diseases and Developmental Disorders; Shirley Ekvall and Valli K. Ekvall
- Leaven; Vitamin D Requirements During Infancy: Reading Between the Lines; Dr. Heather Will, et al.
- Advances in Clinical Chemistry; Harry Sobotka
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