Vitamin D is given to children in the first year of life to prevent rickets. In addition, vitamin D participates in the metabolism, is important for the proper functioning of the nervous system, and helps to increase immunity. The dosage depends on the child's condition and nutritional characteristics, and is prescribed by the district pediatrician after examining the child.
Modern pediatrics recommends using an aqueous solution of vitamin D3 - cholecalciferol, it is less toxic, harmless to the liver, if accidentally taken in a large dosage, it is quickly excreted from the body, since it is not able to accumulate in tissues, unlike the oil solution of ergocalciferol. It is important that in the first year of life the child is not deficient in vitamin D. Even a slight deficiency that does not affect bone tissue can further affect health. Adults who did not receive vitamin D in childhood are more susceptible to the development of autoimmune diseases, they are more often diagnosed with oncological processes, diseases of the connective tissue.
Healthy full-term babies begin to be given vitamin D3 from 4 weeks of life at 400 IU per day, if the child lives in unfavorable conditions, is premature or was born with low weight, then vitamin D3 can be prescribed earlier - from the second or first week of life. If the child was born in the summer, the mother regularly walks with him, then the dose of vitamin D3 can be reduced, the pediatrician may recommend giving the drug only on cloudy days and on days without walks. In the autumn-winter period, all children of the first year of life should receive a prophylactic dose of 400-500 IU.
If sunscreen is applied to the child's skin, vitamin D3 should be given, since the sun's rays do not penetrate the skin and its own vitamin D is not synthesized.
Formula and formula fed babies get vitamin D3 from infant formula. If the daily intake of vitamin is not enough, then the required amount of the drug is prescribed. It is important that with an increase in the volume of the mixture, the amount of vitamin D3 that enters the child's body also increases. Mom needs to be careful when calculating the dose so that there is no chronic overdose.
Store the drug in a cool, dark place. When exposed to sunlight, cholecalceferol is destroyed.
One drop of vitamin D3 contains from 400 to 500 IU, that is, the mother should give the child a drop of the drug every day. Some vials already have a pipette, which makes the task easier. Vitamin has a sweet taste, so there are no difficulties - children take the medicine with pleasure. It is not necessary to mix the drug with a drink, a mixture or with breast milk. It is better to give the drug in the morning 30-0 minutes after a meal.
Therapeutic doses are prescribed by a doctor only after diagnosis. Treatment regimens depend on the severity of changes in bone tissue, the individual characteristics of the child and the mood of the mother. Sometimes the drug is prescribed in large doses, but in a short course, in other cases, long-term administration of medium-high doses will be more appropriate.
It is worth remembering that taking preventive doses is safe for the child's body, while high therapeutic doses can impair liver function. If a child receives vitamin D3 daily or with rare omissions during the first year of life, then the likelihood of developing rickets is extremely low. There is conflicting evidence that front breast milk contains vitamin D in the amount necessary for a child, but a large number of breastfed babies with rickets confirm that the child needs additional vitamin D.
