How to supplement calcium for babies, help children not have rickets
Calcium deficiency in infants affects the child’s development. Therefore, the correct and sufficient calcium supplement for infants is something that parents should do.
Calcium is an important mineral for the body, plays a “core” role in nourishing, regenerating and developing bones and teeth, this mineral helps to stimulate blood circulation, increase signal interaction for the nerve cells… The following article will help parents better understand calcium supplements for babies.
first Why need calcium supplements for babies?
Helping infants supplement calcium will help children prevent rickets. At the same time, it helps children to have strong and healthy bones to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in old age.
In addition, adequate calcium supplementation for newborns will help the child’s body to function properly, if there is a lack of calcium in the blood, the body will almost stop working and be prone to convulsions.
2 How to supplement calcium for babies?
First of all, parents need to learn the signs of calcium deficiency in their baby. If you find that your baby is deficient in calcium, it is necessary to develop a calcium supplement plan for the baby.
The best way to supplement calcium for children is from food sources and at different age stages, different amounts of calcium are needed. To ensure adequate calcium for your child, you should consult with your doctor if necessary, the doctor will give your child a calcium supplement to ensure that he or she has enough calcium to grow.
The amount of calcium is measured in milligrams (mg), the amount of calcium that a child can be supplemented with is as follows:
Premature babies: According to pediatricians, premature babies should be supplemented with about 200-400 IU of vitamin D/day. In addition, babies born prematurely or with a birth weight less than 1.6 kg have a high risk of rickets, so they need to add some separate drugs plus calcium and phosphorus.
Full-term infants: Children under 6 months of age need 200mg of calcium/day, children from 6 to 11 months of age need 260mg of calcium/day; Children from 1 to 3 years old need 700mg of calcium/day.
3 Role of vitamin D in calcium absorption
In order to absorb the necessary amount of calcium, the body must have vitamin D. According to doctors or nutritionists, vitamin D is not abundant in foods, so it is recommended that you supplement this vitamin for the body through functional foods.
The American Academy of Sciences recommends the following vitamin D supplements:
Children who are exclusively or partially breastfed: The recommended dose of vitamin D is 400 IU/day right after birth to prevent rickets and continue until the baby is 12 months old.
Infants who drink formula milk: In case children drink formula completely with more than 900ml of milk per day, vitamin D supplements are not required. Currently, most formulas on the market are fortified with vitamin D. Therefore, you should carefully read the information on the product packaging to know if your baby needs vitamin D supplements and how much.
Children over 1 year old and all other subjects: Children over 1 year old and other subjects need to supplement vitamin D with at least 600 IU/day or through the daily diet.
4 Health dangers when children have too much calcium
Children with excess calcium will have some of the following signs such as: constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, crying … If too much calcium will cause kidney-related diseases, high blood calcium will cause kidney problems. Atherosclerosis (cardiovascular disease), restricted bone growth, children are at risk of stunting or premature cessation of growth.
Hopefully, the information the article has just shared will help parents have more knowledge about calcium supplements for babies. For more peace of mind in adding calcium to the baby, it is best for parents to take the baby to see a doctor for advice.
Remember to go to the nearest GREEN Bach Hoa to choose fresh and delicious food.
