Vitamin D deficiency

What is it?

Vitamin D helps to keep bones and teeth healthy by helping the body absorb calcium from the foods we eat. It’s very important for babies to have enough vitamin D, because they will grow and develop very rapidly in their first few years of life and it helps to support this process.

A lack of vitamin D can lead to a condition known as rickets. Although there may be enough calcium in the diet, there isn’t enough absorbed and available for normal bone growth, and this causes the bones to soften and bend. Bowed legs are a common feature of rickets.

What causes it?

• Lack of exposure to sunlight, as vitamin D is made in the skin due to the action of sunlight on the skin. Those with darker skin and those that cover up in the sun, will have slower rates of vitamin D production in the skin
• Babies who are born to mothers with low vitamin D levels will also have low vitamin D stores. There is also a risk that the mother’s breast milk will be low in vitamin D too
• Once weaning begins, babies on a restricted diet such as vegetarians or vegans may not receive enough dietary vitamin D

How can it be prevented?

Parents can stop their baby from developing vitamin D deficiency by taking the following precautions: 

1. The UK Department of Health recommends vitamin drops that can be given from the age of 1-5 years. They should be given from six months if a baby is being breast fed or is drinking less than 500 ml of formula each day. These drops contain the vitamins A, C and D.
2. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are recommended to take a supplement of 10 µg of vitamin D per day
3. Recommend that parents feed their baby foods containing vitamin D. These include fortified margarines and fat spreads, oily fish such as salmon, tuna and pilchards, eggs, meat, fortified breakfast cereals and formulas for infants.
4. Suggest they spend time outside for a few minutes each day. Just a small amount of sun exposure on the arms and face is often enough. But emphasise that children should never be out in the sun for too long as this can pose the risk of sun burn.