Vitamins are one of the most essential nutrients for the good growth and health of an infant. About 190 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency during the pre-school age. Millions of other infants have vitamin D deficiency during the first year of their life.
Lack of vitamins can cause many health issues. Some health problems can cure easily. However, some health issues can cause permanent physical impairments. Therefore, it is important to understand how to diagnose vitamin deficiency in the baby.
Once the issue is found, you can try some vitamin supplements for babies to recover their health. This article will provide information on how to feed vitamin supplements to newborns and mature babies.
Why Vitamin A is so Essential for Babies?
Being a fat-soluble vitamin, it is essential to improve immunity, vision, speed-up growth, and also for reproduction. Humans receive the necessary amount of vitamin A from plants and animal-based food. It is much easier to absorb if derived from animal-based foods.
Although newborns do not need vitamin A supplements, it is not harmful to feed vitamin A-rich foods. It will only benefit the child and improve his overall health.
Can infants eat vitamin A-rich foods?
Newborns only need breast milk. They do not need anything else until they have a vitamin deficiency. Babies older than 6 months can consume foods rich in vitamins. Cod liver oil, animal liver, dairy foods, and egg yolk are good for young kids.
Parents should not feed animal-based foods to the child until he can chew the food properly. Provide vegetables and fruit smoothies to provide a nutrient-rich diet. Babies can easily digest smoothies and juices, but you have to strain them before feeding.
Babies need vitamin A for strong bones and teeth
Many people do not know it, but vitamin A is quite essential for durable enamel and healthy gums. The enamel layer protects dentin in your teeth to prevent teeth sensitivity. Health gums prevent teeth from falling. Therefore, it is quite essential for good oral health.
Vitamin A is also essential for improving vision and maintains epithelial tissue cells’ health. It also prevents respiratory system-related health issues and digestive health-related issues. Essentially, every human being needs a healthy dose of vitamin A to stay fit and healthy.
What are the Benefits of Vitamin D for Babies?
Many newborn babies and infants receive vitamin D supplements. They need it to prevent calcium deficiency. Your baby can receive an ample amount of vitamin D every day from the sunlight. So, a supplement might not be necessary.
However, it can be risky to take a newborn child in the sunlight. That’s why pediatricians often recommend a vitamin D supplement for newborn baby and mature infants.
How does vitamin D improve the child’s health?
Breast milk does not supply enough vitamin D to meet the child’s demands. It contains enough calcium to help in proper development. However, vitamin deficiency prevents the baby from absorbing calcium. As a result, some limbs cannot develop properly!
Calcium is pretty essential for rapid growth and stronger bone structure. Vitamin D improves calcium absorption. Therefore, lack of vitamin D is a serious concern. Consult with your doctor and get the best vitamin D supplement for your child if he lacks it!
How much vitamin D your baby needs every day?
Breast milk is the main source of nutrients for newborns and infants. 6-12 months old babies consume complementary foods, but it is not enough to meet their nutritional needs. Foods do not provide enough vitamin D to meet the child’s needs.
Sunlight can meet the baby’s daily vitamin D supply. However, many parents do not take the child out in the sunlight. Therefore, they need supplements to meet a child’s 400-800IU vitamin D needs per day.
Breast milk is still quite essential for the child. It may lack vitamin D, but it provides many other nutrients in the right quantity. Therefore, mothers should continue breastfeeding the child. Take the baby out in the sunlight during the morning time or evening time. Thus, it won’t damage your child’s skin and he will turn more sunlight into vitamin D.
What are the Symptoms of Vitamin Deficiency in Babies?
Health experts emphasize feeding nutrient-rich complementary food to babies. Each nutrient, including vitamins aids in the proper growth of the child. Your baby can receive most vitamins from his food.
Infant’s daily food lacks some vitamins, like vitamin D. The following symptoms indicate that issue:
Bad breath
Some babies may have bad breath issue. Parents might wonder that it is happening because the child can’t cleanse his mouth. That’s not the case!
Babies, who lack zinc and vitamin B6, have bad breath issue. Your baby needs zinc for proper growth. Its deficiency can cause disorder of intestinal flora, stunted growth, and dwarfism in certain cases!
You should contact the doctor if the child has bad breath. The doctor will provide proper treatment to treat zinc and vitamin B6 deficiency.
Irritability and excess sweating
Babies with vitamin D deficiency show quite visible symptoms. The baby will sweat a lot, regardless of the season. He will become quite irritable and cry very easily. The baby may soon get weaker and consume less milk than before.
Spasm and occipital baldness also indicate the baby has vitamin D deficiency. There are high-quality supplements available to cure this problem. Besides, you can take the baby out in the sunlight to provide more vitamin D.
Scurvy
Vitamin C deficiency causes this health issue. It manifests itself in many ways, such as swollen gums, easy bruising, and slow wound healing. Many babies have dry hairs due to scurvy. You have to feed vitamin C-rich foods to the baby. Fruits, vegetables, and supplements can cure this problem.
Vision problems and muscle weakness
Babies with vitamin E deficiency have this issue. It is quite rare in infants. It occurs mainly due to malnutrition, but it is a concerning health issue. Vitamin E deficiency can cause neurological problems.
Premature babies are more likely to suffer from vitamin E deficiency. Numbness, poor vision, weak muscles, tremors, and difficulty in walking are a few symptoms to look for. Avocado, almonds, and sweet potatoes are vitamin E-rich foods.
You should monitor the baby’s health carefully after one year of age. If the child shows those symptoms, it is vitamin E deficiency. Consult with the doctor to feed a high-quality supplement and medications for a quick recovery of the child.
Can You Feed Vitamin Supplement to the Infant?
Vitamin supplements are like medication. People take them only when they have a vitamin deficiency. Is it okay to feed a vitamin supplement to a newborn child or infant? Yes, you can feed supplements to babies if they have a severe vitamin deficiency.
Adults can check reviews and pick a supplement for them online. You have to be a little careful when choosing a vitamin supplement for the baby. Schedule an appointment with your doctor and take your child for screening.
The doctor will assess his situation and provide the best medication for a quick recovery. It won’t be necessary to feed a vitamin supplement if the issue is not so serious. The pediatrician may recommend a supplement in case of severe vitamin D deficiency. Buy it and feed according to the doctor’s guidance.
What If You Feed Excess Supplement to the Child?
Vitamins improve our health by ensuring the smooth functioning of many bodily functions. These organic compounds are helpful only if you get them in moderate quantity. Even nutrients’ excess can cause health problems in babies.
Let’s find out what are the health risks of feeding excess vitamin supplements to babies:
Excess of vitamin D:
Vitamin D is essential for the child’s growth, stronger bones, and teeth. Therefore, it is a widely recommended vitamin supplement for newborns and infants. You have to follow the doctor’s recommended dose to prevent Vitamin D excess.
If you mistakenly feed more than the recommended vitamin D dose, it can cause vomiting and weight loss! Do online research to know what the right dose of vitamin D supplement is for your child according to his age.
Excess of vitamin C:
Vitamin C is crucial to strengthen your baby’s immune system. It is also essential for good skin, strong hair, and other bodily functions. Feeding an excess dosage of vitamin C can severely affect your child’s bone development.
Check the product label to find the right dose of vitamin C for your baby. You can also find many online sources that recommend the right dose of vitamin C according to the child’s age.
Conclusion
Every human being suffers from a variety of health issues due to vitamin deficiency. Babies are more prone to severe health issues caused by vitamin deficiency. Not every child needs a vitamin supplement. Supplements are fed in case of severe deficiency.
Parents should first consult with the doctor if they observe the symptoms of severe vitamin deficiency. Feed supplements only if the doctor recommends. Finding the best vitamin supplements for babies shouldn’t be tough for you because many brands are providing these products online.
