By Dr Mounica Krishna Reddy Mandadi
Vitamin D is a crucial hormone in the body that regulates minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, which maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscle health. Most of the vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight, but it can also be obtained from food like oily fish, liver, egg yolk, and fortified foods.
Lack of vitamin D in children can cause weak bones, leading to a condition called rickets. Most children develop a deficiency due to insufficient exposure to sunlight or a lack of fortified foods or supplements. A small fraction may have a rare genetic problem. A 17-year-old boy was recently treated at Rainbow Children's Hospital for a rare genetic form of vitamin D-dependent rickets. Despite having high vitamin D levels, he had a problem with his vitamin D receptors, causing calcium deficiency, limb deformities, hair loss, stunted growth, and other health issues. He was treated with intravenous calcium, oral calcium, and active vitamin D supplements under a team of specialists.
While this was a rare case, nutritional Vitamin D deficiency is more common in children. Parents are advised to provide Vitamin D supplements for their children under one year of age as prescribed by a pediatrician and encourage outdoor play. However, self-treatment should be avoided and proper medical advice sought, as high Vitamin D levels can also cause health problems.
This article was published in association with Rainbow Children’s Hospital.