Table of contents:
- Why do babies need vitamin D?
- What causes a baby to be deficient in vitamin D?
- How much vitamin D do babies need?
- Conclusion
Vitamins are important nutrients that, even in small amounts, are needed for the body to stay healthy. Vitamin D in particular, regulates the amount of calcium in the body. You need vitamin D to maintain strong bones and teeth. Without this vitamin, your body's bones will be brittle, weak, or even have an abnormal shape. Apart from adults, vitamin D is also very important for babies.
Why do babies need vitamin D?
Babies and young children grow rapidly. Therefore, their bones need a lot of vitamins and minerals in order to grow optimally. Apart from supporting bone growth, vitamin D also helps maintain the body's defense system, heart health, brain and other organs in the body.
Vitamin D deficiency is also known to be linked to the following health problems:
- autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis
- osteoporosis
- heart disease
- mood disorders
- certain types of cancer
- chronic inflammation
- arthritis
Babies who consume exclusive breastfeeding who don't get enough vitamin D are at risk of developing a condition called rickettsia. The bones in people with this condition usually fail to mineralize so they are brittle and experience deformities. These can include curved legs and thicker wrists and feet.
If left untreated, Rickettsia can lead to various complications such as:
- seizures
- failed to thrive
- short stature
- lethargy
- risk of developing a respiratory tract infection
- curved spine
- dental problems
- bone deformity
Bone deformities in Rickettsia can usually be corrected if the patient is given vitamin D intake as early as possible. Some babies may have to undergo surgical procedures to correct the bone deformity.
What causes a baby to be deficient in vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency is usually caused by not getting enough sunlight. Causes that can lead to this condition include:
- Living in the northern region of the earth so they don't get enough sunlight.
- Have a medical condition in which the body can't absorb enough vitamin D, such as celiac, cystic fibrosis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Have dark skin. Dark skin does not react well to sunlight. People with dark skin usually take 5-10 times as much time to produce the vitamin D equivalent of white people.
- Do not wear protective clothing when it is in the sun.
- Do not use sunscreen .
- Live in an area with high air pollution or high cloud density.
- Vegetarians who do not eat fish, eggs, or milk.
Many people lately have become afraid of sun exposure because it can increase the risk of cancer. In addition, high sun exposure can also accelerate the aging process. For this reason, young mothers usually do not get enough vitamin D, which in turn puts the babies they feed into a high risk of developing vitamin D deficiency.
How much vitamin D do babies need?
The need for vitamin D in newborns for several days is 400 IU / day. As an illustration, breast milk contains only 25 IU of vitamin D / liter or even less. Therefore, vitamin D supplements are often needed for babies who consume exclusive breast milk and babies who consume half breast milk and half formula milk. You can discuss with your doctor about whether or not it is necessary and how to give the right vitamin D supplement. If you give your child formula milk that already contains fortified vitamin D, then you no longer need to provide additional vitamin D for your child.
Vitamin D can also be found naturally in some foods such as fatty fish and egg yolks. However, the biggest and best source of vitamin D is sunlight. When ultraviolet light hits the skin, it stimulates the body to make vitamin D. To increase the concentration of vitamin D, it takes at least 20% of the skin's surface area to be exposed to sunlight. Several studies recommend adequate sun exposure, to maintain adequate vitamin D concentrations, i.e. exposure of both hands and feet to sunlight for 5-30 minutes, (depending on time, season, latitude and skin pigmentation), twice a day.
But keep in mind, although sunlight is good for health, it is important for you to protect your baby from direct sunlight. You can wear light clothing and a hat that will protect your baby's skin from direct sunlight. In addition, you can also apply sunscreen of at least SPF 15 to your baby 15-20 minutes before taking him to sunbathing. Also avoid drying the baby at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. because UVB radiation is the highest in that time.
Conclusion
Breast milk is still the best source of nutrition for babies in the first year of life. If you have concerns about your baby's vitamin D deficiency, you can consult a doctor. You can also call your doctor if you have bone pain, muscle weakness, or obvious bone deformities.
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