Vitamin D Deficiency in Kids

Nowadays vitamin D deficiency has become very common in every country. People of all ages, from small babies to old people, all are becoming deficient. Women and small kids are prone to this. And there are many reasons why this is happening. We all know it but still try to avoid or ignore it as we don’t see any severe impact on our daily life and health. Because you will notice the symptoms of this deficiency after a few years or when your body becomes a little weak due to any disease. pregnancy, or postpartum.  If this goes on like this, it will become very difficult to take care of our health after a certain age, because as we age, our body becomes a little weak and we might not be able to do anything like before. The changing lifestyles, busy days, congested houses, no proper ventilation, not staying outdoors, and screens are the major cause of this deficiency as we don’t go out in sun much and stay at home whenever we have a break or free time.

Especially homemakers and kids below the age of 5 who don’t go to school or office are more prone to this deficiency as they stay indoor all day long. Other people who go out in closed cars, closed buses, or fully covered with clothes, may also not get much sunlight or vitamin d in their body than people who go out for a morning walk, cycling, swimming, to play sports in sun, and those who travel on bikes. And we all know how our apartments and houses are built today in small spaces and areas with no proper ventilation and direct sunlight. And if you want to buy a proper house with good ventilation and sunlight, it costs you more than normal apartments with no balcony. And some people hesitate to put on some budget on these houses with balconies due to financial issues or personal reasons which is going to make them, and their family suffer after a few years with many health issues.

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I also stayed in those apartments a few years ago, and I know the consequences of this deficiency as me and my kids have experienced many health issues in those houses. At that time, I didn’t understand the value of morning sunlight, vitamin d, and good ventilation or fresh air. Our house had a small balcony, but we didn’t get any sunlight from there, as there was a tall building right in front of our house. My kids were small. My son was 3 years old, and I had a newborn baby too. I was a homemaker, so I stayed indoors most of the time with my 2 kids. We had a small park nearby our home, but the sunlight was not reaching there too as it was in the corner of a small lane. I used to take my kids to the park in evening for fresh air and for some activities. Till that time, everything was good. Everything changed, when my son started going to school. He felt ill very frequently. Every month, he used to get 2 to 3 times fever, cold and cough.  This continued for 6 months, and I was not able to understand what is going on with him. I asked doctors many times and took blood test, but everything was normal. Doctor said that his immunity his very weak and told to give him vitamin d drops. And he also told that nowadays, vitamin d drops should be given to kids for 5 years of age and even after that you should give vitamin d drops or tablets to your children occasionally due to our busy lifestyles and congested houses with no sunlight. Before doctors used to tell to give vitamin d drops only for 2 years of age. My second child also suffered because of this deficiency as her immunity became low. She didn’t get her teeth early and her growth was a bit slow too though I gave her vitamin d drops every day.

At that time, I understood, that giving only vitamin d rich foods will not help. Morning sunlight is the best source of vitamin d for all people. Foods don’t work well nowadays because they are grown with chemicals, and pesticides. From that day onwards, we changed our house and rented a house that was spacious with 2 medium balconies and proper ventilation. I also started taking my kids out for a morning walk or for an evening play in the park, where they can get proper sunlight. I also started giving vitamin d medicine to both my kids daily for 5 years of age. After that I gave them occasionally like once a month or twice a month and I also took the vitamin d tablets along with them as I also faced vitamin d deficiency in my 20s. Read this article to know more about what happened to me and how I got cured of this deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency in adults. It took us more than one year for all of us to build back our immunity with proper treatment and lifestyle changes after getting diagnosed with vitamin d deficiency. And its symptoms are very dangerous as it directly affects your immunity which is very important for your overall physical and mental health. In this article, I will tell you my story, my experience, vitamin d deficiency symptoms, its home and medical treatment, how to avoid it, and how to make your kids immunity stronger by natural methods.

What Every Parent Should Know: –

If your little one loves staying indoors, glued to cartoons or video games, you’re not alone! But here’s something many parents don’t realize, too much indoor time can lead to vitamin D deficiency, and that can quietly affect your child’s health in more ways than one. Just like in our olden days, your child also needs to have some physical activity outdoors every day at least for one hour. You can either take them to park, a long walk, or take them to play with other kids in your balcony or in the open space right in front of your house. If you are not able to do it every day, then you can also give them vitamin d drops or vitamin d tablets every day after consulting with a pediatrician. Normally, it is recommended to give vitamin d drops till your kids turn 5 years of age. Even after that, it is better to give them vitamin d drops occasionally or once in a month. This is very helpful if you live in areas or houses where there is no direct morning or evening sunlight or if you or your kids don’t go out much throughout the day. Along with this you should also give vitamin d rich foods like egg yolks, cod liver oil, fatty fish, beef liver, cheese, fortified milk, curd, fortified orange juice, mushrooms, and fortified grains to your kids daily. Remember that healthy lifestyle and healthy food is the only way to keep your kids healthy and build their immunity.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies make it when sunlight hits our skin. It’s super important for kids because it helps their bodies absorb calcium, the mineral that builds strong bones and teeth. But vitamin D isn’t just about bones. It also supports the immune system, helps muscles work properly, and may even play a role in mood and brain health. Its deficiency can make your immunity very weak and when your immunity becomes weak, you are more likely to attract all types of bacteria and viruses in your body. And you fall ill very frequently without any reason, and your treatment may also take longer than normal people to get cured completely.

Why Are So Many Kids Low on Vitamin D?

1. Not enough sunshine: – Many kids spend most of their time indoors — at school, home, or on screens. Sunscreen (which is still very important) also blocks the UV rays needed to make vitamin D. So, apply sunscreen only when you go out in afternoon time around 10am to 4pm. Before 10am and after 4pm, you don’t need any sunscreen because that sunlight is good for your body as it contains vitamin d.

2. Diet gaps: –Vitamin D isn’t found in a lot of foods naturally. If your child doesn’t drink fortified milk, eat egg yolks, take yoghurt, eat fish, or take supplements, their intake might be too low. That why healthy food is very important for your kids. Avoid unnecessary package foods, fast food, instant foods, breads, and packaged chapatis. These all are only calories and don’t have anything important that your body needs to stay healthy. Home cooked and fresh foods are good for your child.

3. Darker skin tones: – Kids with darker skin need a little more sun exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as those with lighter skin. Thatswhy, avoid any types of creams, umbrellas, sunscreens or full clothing for your kids if they have a little dark skin tone when they go out in the sun.

4. Location matters: – If you live in a place with long winters, cloudy weather, or lots of pollution, there’s less sunlight to go around. For these people it is necessary to take vitamin d supplements and eat vitamin d rich foods to maintain their vitamin d levels in their body.

5. Health conditions: – Certain digestive or liver/kidney issues can make it harder for the body to absorb or use vitamin D properly. so talk with your doctor to find any alternatives to get vitamin d in your body. They will guide you properly based on your health condition.

Signs Your Child Might Be Deficient: –

Sometimes, vitamin D deficiency doesn’t show obvious signs at first. But over time, you might notice: –

• Tiredness
• Crankiness
• Hair fall
• Delayed teething
• Teeth pain
• Bone pain
• Muscle pain
• Slow growth
• Weak bones
• Getting sick often
• Bowed legs
• Bone deformities in severe cases (a condition called rickets)

If you notice any of these, it’s worth mentioning to your child’s doctor. A simple blood test can check their vitamin D levels.

How to Boost Your Child’s Vitamin D?

1. Get some safe sun time: – About 10–15 minutes of sunlight on the arms and face, two or three times a week, is often enough for your kids. Morning sun is best — and always remember to apply little sunscreen for longer exposure in the sun if your kids are staying outside in the sun for more than 30 minutes. You can take your kids outside for a morning walk or to the park in evening every weekend to get the morning and evening sunlight. If you have a house with balcony along with direct sunlight, it is the best.

2. Add vitamin D rich foods to your kid’s diet: – Fortified milk or plant-based milk, Fatty fish like salmon or tuna, Eggs (especially the yolks), cheese, paneer, beef liver, curd, and Fortified orange juice or cereals are some of the best options for your child to grow immunity and get vitamin d.

3. Ask about supplements: – Many pediatricians recommend vitamin D drops or chewables, especially for babies and picky eaters till 5 years of age. For babies under 1 year, it is recommended to give vitamin d medicine about 400 IU per day and for kids over 1 year, it is about 600 IU per day.

4. Keep up with checkups: – Routine visits can help make sure your child’s vitamin D levels are right where they should be. Do a blood test once a year if you want to check the vitamin d levels of your child. Or just give vitamin d supplements occasionally after 5 years to maintain the level normally in their body if you don’t like to take blood test every year.

Conclusion: –

Vitamin D might be small, but it packs a big punch for your child’s health. It helps them grow strong bones, fight off colds, and stay active and happy. So next time you tell your kid to go play outside, you’re not just encouraging fun — you’re helping their body make a little sunshine magic too. And always stay in a house that has some open space, a big balcony, big windows, direct sunlight exposure, and in an open area. Trust me your mind will be more relaxed and calmer when you live in houses like this. Your kids also enjoy being at home because of the open spaces and balconies where they can play. Fresh air, direct sunlight, a little drops of rain, a cool breeze, a busy road, people walking around, and greenery all around you, is the place where you can enjoy nature. Find a house like this where you can see all these things from your balcony. This is very important for your physical and mental health. If you’re living in UAE and want to find a good house to stay, then please visit this article. How to find houses for rent in UAE.