What Does Vitamin D Do?
Vitamin D helps your child build strong bones and prevent rickets. Rickets is a condition of softening of the bones that can occur in growing children.
When Does My Child Need Vitamin D? And How Much?
All children need vitamin D beginning shortly after birth.
Children 12 to 24 months old need 600 IU of vitamin D each day. Your child’s age matters when it comes to cow’s milk. For children older than 12 months, plain whole cow’s milk is a great source of vitamin D. Most cow’s milk sold in stores is fortified with vitamin D. For babies younger than 12 months, cow’s milk is not recommended because it may put your baby at risk for intestinal bleeding.
It also has too many proteins and minerals for your baby’s kidneys to handle easily and does not have the right amount of nutrients your baby needs. Your child’s age matters when it comes to cow’s milk. For babies who are fed only breast milk or who receive both breast milk and infant formula:
Breast milk usually does not provide all the vitamin D a baby needs, so breastfed babies will need a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D per day beginning shortly after birth.
For babies who are receiving only infant formula:
Vitamin D supplementation is not needed. Infant formulas are fortified with vitamin D.
Learn more about how to choose an infant formula. (for example, salmon or light canned tuna).
Vitamin D-fortified alert icon products like plain whole cow’s milk (for children 12 months and older), yogurt, cereals, and some 100% juices. Talk with your doctor or nurse about vitamin D at your child’s next check-up if you have questions.
Vitamin Supplements
The government recommends all children aged 6 months to 5 years are given vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day.
This is because formula is fortified with vitamins A, C and D and other nutrients. Babies who are being breastfed should be given a daily vitamin D supplement from birth, whether or not you’re taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself.
Where You Can Get Baby Vitamin Drops
Your health visitor can give you advice on vitamin drops and tell you where to get them.
Talk to a pharmacist about which supplement would be most suitable for your child. Having too much of some vitamins can be harmful. For example, do not give them cod liver oil and vitamin drops because cod liver oil also contains vitamins A and D. One supplement on its own is enough, as long as it contains the recommended dose of vitamin D.
Vitamin D Vitamin D is only found in a few foods, such as oily fish and eggs.
But it’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. But it’s important to keep your child’s skin safe in the sun. Children should not be out in the sun too long in hot weather.
Young children should still have vitamin drops, even if they get out in the sun. This is whether or not you’re taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself. Babies fed infant formula should not be given a vitamin D supplement if they’re having more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, because infant formula is fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
Good sources of vitamin C include: oranges
kiwi fruit
strawberries
broccoli
tomatoes
peppers.