| The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is | | | | What Has Caused the Increase in Rickets? |
| recommending that the daily intake of Vitamin D be | | | | Several cultural and geographical factors help explain |
| doubled in children, including infants over 1 month old. | | | | the increase in this disease. |
| The new recommended dose of 400 international | | | | - Exposure to sunlight helps the body make Vitamin |
| units every day is the equivalent of 4 glasses of milk. | | | | D but fewer kids these days get adequate exposure |
| Who Should Get Vitamin D Supplements? | | | | to sunlight (think video games) for the body to |
| The short answer is nearly everyone! The | | | | synthesize Vitamin D. |
| recommendation released recently by the AAP | | | | - Decreased consumption of milk by teenagers |
| targets infants up to teenagers. Vitamin D is not | | | | - Geographical features: Anyone who lives above 40 |
| easily found in foods except for organ meats like | | | | degrees latitude in the Northern Hemisphere (Boston |
| kidney and liver which children don't usually eat. It is | | | | to northern California) has less exposure to the sun |
| also found in oily fish but again, this is not a regular | | | | during the winter months. In fact, studies have |
| part of the American diet. | | | | shown that by the end of winter, young, healthy |
| Foods that are fortified with Vitamin D are: | | | | Bostonians are deficient in Vitamin D because of the |
| - Milk | | | | decrease in ultraviolet light exposure from November |
| - baby formula | | | | to February. |
| - breakfast cereals | | | | What Supplements Should I Give My Child? |
| - orange juice | | | | - A multivitamin that has the recommended daily |
| What Problems Are Associated With Vitamin D | | | | allowance of 400 iu per day. |
| Deficiency? | | | | - Use chewable tablets or liquid concentrations for |
| Vitamin D helps calcium be absorbed by the body. | | | | small children and make sure to store them in a safe |
| Calcium functions in muscle contraction, blood clotting | | | | place so that kids won't overdose on them |
| and bone strength. | | | | Do Breast Fed Infants Need Vitamin D? |
| Without Vitamin D, rickets can develop. Rickets | | | | - Yes - infants can take a liquid Vitamin D supplement |
| disrupts the development and mineralization of the | | | | since breast milk will not have sufficient quantities. |
| growth plate in bones which then leads to growth | | | | - Babies who are on formula are already getting |
| retardation, bone pain, and soft bones. | | | | fortified formula. |
| There has been an increase in rickets from 65 cases | | | | Remember to check with your provider if you have |
| between 1975 and 1985 to 166 cases between 1986 | | | | any questions about the use of supplements for your |
| to 2003. Once a disease of the past, rickets has | | | | child. |
| been increasing in children. | | | | |