MORE THAN 90% OF CHILDREN ARE DEFICIENT IN VITAMIN D - A SIGN THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DETECT WITH THE NAKED EYE

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bone growth and preventing rickets, a condition that causes weak or deformed bones. However, children can be deficient in vitamin D and early signs of deficiency are often unclear and difficult to detect with the naked eye. According to MMed, Dr. Pham Cong Luan – Head of Pediatrics – Neonatology Department said: More than 90% of cases of pediatric general health check at American International Hospital (AIH) detect vitamin D deficiency from mild to severe, at many different ages. Not only infants, but older children aged 08 – 15 are still at risk of potential vitamin D deficiency.

Usually children are mildly deficient in vitamin D, externally children still develop normally physically, their height still meets the age standard. However, when the disease is manifested through obvious signs, children are at risk of rickets, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, motor retardation... is very high if not detected early. When determining that children are deficient in vitamin D, parents should not supplement themselves by taking drugs, but need to take them to the doctor, determine the level of deficiency, from which there are appropriate and timely vitamin D supplementation indications.

► Importance of vitamin D
 

► Signs that your child is vitamin D deficient

Vietnam is one of the countries with a very high vitamin D deficiency rate with 62.1% of children in urban areas and 53.7% of children in rural areas. Some early to late signs that a child is deficient in Vitamin D:

Early signs: Signs of nervous system such as frequent fussiness, restless sleep, etc.; Children sweat a lot at night; Children are slow to develop physical strength, blue skin... Most of the early signs as above are difficult to detect with the naked eye, which can be mistaken for signs of other diseases.
Late signs: Many signs of changes in a child's bones after a lack of vitamin D in a few months or more such as: Delayed tooth eruption, crawling delay, delayed walking; Cranial deformity, soft skull... When children experience rickets, they will see deformed legs and delayed physical development, which may leave sequelae as they grow up.

► Consequences of Vitamin D Deficiency

In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, causing bones to become soft, weak, deformed and painful; affecting lung function and making asthma worse. At the same time, in case of vitamin D deficiency, children are at risk of cardiovascular diseases, allergies, affecting oral health... At the American International Hospital (AIH), all newborns are given vitamin D supplements from the first days after birth, helping them to be healthier and stronger, preventing rickets and abnormalities caused by vitamin D deficiency.

► How to prevent vitamin D deficiency in children that parents should know

Supplement vitamin D for children through foods: eggs, milk, fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, oysters, shrimp, cereals, fruits, mushrooms... At the same time, maintaining a reasonable and scientific diet, meeting the necessary nutritional groups for children.

Let children participate in outdoor sports activities. This not only replenishes vitamin D naturally but also enhances children's health through physical activities.

Although vitamin D is essential for children, parents should not supplement their own vitamin D without the advice and prescription of a doctor. At the same time, children need to be determined the specific level of deficiency, from which a reasonable amount of vitamin D supplement can be determined, avoiding inadequate supplementation or excess vitamin D dosage. The determination of vitamin D deficiency level should be carried out through tests in the periodic pediatric general health check program.

The pediatric general health check package at American International Hospital (AIH) is developed to suit each child's age. Through this package, children are also closely monitored and cared for, helping parents understand their child's development. Above all, children are screened and detected early for abnormal diseases, thereby having timely care and treatment interventions, ensuring their long-term health as adults. Contact Hotline (028) 3910 9999 or INBOX Fanpage https://m.me/aih.com.vn for more details on health check packages. 

The Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology, American International Hospital (AIH) provides a full range of pediatric medical examination and treatment services, including: General health check; vaccination; monitoring the physical and mental development of children; nutrition counseling; and diagnostic and treatment services.

The Pediatric ward at AIH is divided into two separate areas: the one for healthy children and the one for sick children, with the purpose of channeling patients to avoid cross-infection. When children come to the hospital with suspected symptoms, they will be taken to a separate examination area, so that the disease can be selected and isolated from the beginning.