Attention Parents: New Vitamin D Recomendations from American Academy of Pediatrics
When I heard that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has announced today that they are doubling the amount of vitamin D that they recommend in the diets of infants and children in the United States, I started diving into research.
I found that, previously they have adhered to a guideline of 200 daily units of Vitamin D, however, this weeks new rule says that 400 daily units are what are needed to keep children from developing health problems.
It seems that the health problem of particular concern to the AAP, that has triggered this new recommendation is the recent resurgence of Rickets. I was not very familiar with this condition but through research I discovered that the development of Rickets has been linked to a deficit in Vitamin D in the diet of the child affected with its symptoms.
The main problem with Rickets is that it weakens the bone tissue in children causing delays in growth and development. Some early symptoms to keep an eye out for are… restless infants, poor sleeping habits, irritability, night sweats, unnatural appetite, strange stools, loss of weight, gas, and diarrhea.
I also learned that Rickets typically develops in young children over the age of six months. It appears that premature babies are at higher risk for the development of the condition as well.
Researchers with the AAP suggest that by doubling the amount of Vitamin D in our children’s diet we can do a great deal to prevent the development of this condition. They would like to see every child and teenager in America be able to double their dosage and here are a few ways as parents we can help to do that:
♦ Breastfeeding mothers, you need to make sure that your diet is healthy, balanced, and rich in Vitamin D. It appears that Breastfeeding babies are not immune to developing Rickets and that in some cases supplements of vitamin D could be required either through formula or drops, check with your pediatrician for his or her recommendations.
♦ Mothers who use infant formula, though most formulas contain Vitamin D it may not be enough to adhere to the new recommendations, a supplement again may be necessary so check with your child’s doctor for advice.
♦ Children who are older and drinking milk, be sure to pick up the Vitamin D rich milks to help increase levels in your child’s diets.
♦ Also keep in mind that exposure to the sun is the body’s natural way of producing Vitamin D, it is now recommended that children be in the sun for at least 15 minutes a day to help them get the needed amount to build strong, healthy bones.
The bottom line is that we, as parents, need to educate ourselves about these new recommendations and find ways to help meet them in order to protect our children’s health. I would suggest you contact your doctor with any questions or concerns that you have about your child and how these recommendations affect them.
Keep in mind that with healthier diets and more time playing outside, we can help make sure our children’s bone health is the best that it can be now and in the future.
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