Even though we’re all aware of the importance of vitamin D for adults, there’s still a lot of confusion about this nutrient and how it affects children. As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child, which is why it’s important to know that their growth is directly impacted by this vitamin. Here’s what you need to know about vitamin D and babies:
Vitamin D is important for babies and young children in order to build strong bones, prevent disease and improve overall health.
It’s important to understand that vitamin D isn’t just needed for strong bones. Rather, it is a key nutrient for overall health and development in children.
Studies have shown that vitamin D is involved in many body processes, including the following:
- The immune system
- Inflammation regulation
- Nerve function
While these things may seem unrelated, remember that your baby’s health is an integrated whole. If you want your child to grow up healthy and strong, then having enough vitamin D will help them achieve this goal!
Without sufficient vitamin D, babies are at a higher risk of developing rickets, which is a painful disease causing soft bones in growing children.
In the absence of enough vitamin D, a baby’s bones can become soft and weak. This is called rickets, which causes painful deformities in a child’s legs, hips and spine.
Vitamin D deficiency is a major cause of rickets among both children and adults. Rickets can also be caused by excessive sweating from exercise or fever – so it’s important to make sure your child gets plenty of rest after playing outside!
Babies also need vitamin D to help fight against respiratory infections and asthma.
Babies also need vitamin D to help fight against respiratory infections and asthma. In fact, researchers have found that babies with higher levels of vitamin D are less likely to develop asthma later in life.
Vitamin D helps the immune system fight off infections by helping white blood cells produce more antibodies. It also helps them produce more white blood cells to fight off an infection, which is why vitamin D is known as a “superfood” for boosting immunity against colds and other diseases. This can help protect your baby from getting sick or getting an infection when they’re young, but it’s also important for older children because it can help prevent them from getting sick as well!
Your baby’s body has the ability to make its own vitamin D by synthesizing it when exposed to sunlight.
The best way to ensure your baby gets enough vitamin D is by exposing him or her to sunlight. Your body has the ability to make its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, and this is true for infants as well. Vitamin D synthesis depends on several things, including your skin type and how much time you spend outside.
Vitamin D synthesis also depends on where you live—you may be exposed to more or less ultraviolet radiation (UVR) depending on where you live in the world. For example, someone living near the equator will get more UVR than someone further away from it because of seasonal changes in angle between Earth and the sun’s rays. Another factor that can influence how much UVB reaches us is cloud cover; when clouds block out UVB rays from reaching us directly on Earth’s surface we are at risk of developing vitamin D deficiency disease(s).
Try to get your baby outside on sunny days (of course, dress them appropriately!) so they can get some sunlight exposure.
You can help your child get enough vitamin D by spending time outdoors with him or her on sunny days. Babies need just a few minutes of sunlight exposure to their hands, face and arms each day to meet their daily vitamin D needs.
Keep in mind that babies should always be protected from the sun’s rays. Make sure you dress your baby appropriately for outdoor play and apply sunscreen when necessary, such as when you are going to be outside for more than 20 minutes at a time. When choosing a sunscreen for your baby, look for one labeled “broad spectrum” which protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
The most common foods with vitamin D include dairy products like milk and yogurt, and fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna.
Vitamin D is essential for the formation of healthy bones and teeth. A lack of vitamin D can lead to rickets, a disease causing soft, weak and deformed bones as well as bone pain.
It’s also important in helping your body absorb calcium, which is important for maintaining strong bones.
Here’s a list of the most common foods with vitamin D:
Since babies may not necessarily eat these types of foods, speak with your pediatrician about whether or not you should consider vitamin D supplements for your baby.
Vitamin D can be given in the form of drops or a pill and is available over the counter. However, it’s always best to talk with your doctor before starting any sort of supplement regime for your child—especially one that requires them to take pills regularly.
Vitamin D is important for babies’ development
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally produced by the body when it’s exposed to sunlight. It plays an important role in your child’s growth and development as it helps build strong bones and teeth, increases muscle strength, supports healthy immune function and fights respiratory infections.
Additionally, vitamin D may also protect against asthma in children by promoting proper lung function.
Conclusion
So, what do you think? Does this sound like information your family could use? If so, we hope we helped you make a decision about whether or not to get your baby a vitamin D supplement. While there are many good reasons why babies need vitamin D in their diet, it is still important for parents to discuss this with their pediatricians before making any decisions about supplementation.
