Vitamin D Deficiency in Children and Its Health Consequences

Abstract

This chapter reviews data on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, risk factors that predispose children and adolescents to this problem, and current approaches to routine vitamin D supplementation and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. The increasing world-wide prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among otherwise healthy pediatric patients is explored. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency have been identified and include, among others, northern geographical location, dark skin pigmentation, female gender, lack of supplementation, and diseases associated with malabsorption. While supplementation strategies to prevent vitamin D deficiency have not been standardized for infants, children, and adolescents, previous studies comparing different doses have been tested in both healthy youth, as well as those with chronic disease. There is even less consensus on the appropriate treatment doses for young patients identified to have this deficiency. Health outcomes data are critically needed to provide guidance regarding the most appropriate supplementation and treatment regimens for the pediatric age group.

Managing vitamin D deficiency in children

“…measures of serum vitamin D level have demonstrated that there is a wider prevalence of deficiency in the population, and that hypovitaminosis D is often associated with deficiencies among family members of the index child. [1][2][3] We reviewed 17 infants admitted to Ealing Hospital during a two-year period (from 2006 to 2008), who presented with hypocalcaemic seizures secondary to vitamin D deficiency. The majority of these infants had raised alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels, 3 and a large number of them suffered delay in achieving gross motor milestones, especially in walking, as was reported in Victorian times.…”