Why is Vitamin D an essential nutrient? Know how it plays a role in your child’s development

Introduction to the fun facts about Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in the development and well-being of children. Inadequate Vitamin D can delay growth milestones, cause pain in the body and cloudy thinking. It impacts the day-to-day activities and affects our kids’ study goals. There are three ways we can optimise Vitamin D intake – adequate exposure to the sun, supplementation in the form of Calciferol and correct food, helping absorption. Vitamin D foods such as fish and mushrooms play a crucial role in this.

Let’s explore interesting facts about Vitamin D, its nutritional signs, symptoms and the profound impact it has on your child’s health.

Vitamin D nutrition facts

Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, is indispensable for the body’s absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus, promoting longevity and enhancing muscle tone and immunity. One of the most interesting and less-known Vitamin D facts is that higher levels correlate to lower rates of certain cancers. This indicates vitamin D benefits for overall health.

Sources of Vitamin D

Sunlight: When our skin basks in the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, a natural source of Vitamin D, it triggers the synthesis of Vitamin D within our bodies.

Food: Vitamin D nutrition can be optimised through vitamin D rich foods with Omega 3s or “good fats”. This can help in the absorption of this vital nutrient. Fatty fish like salmon, mushrooms, and avocados are excellent sources of vitamin D. 

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You can also increase vitamin D levels by including these in your diet.

Top 10 Vitamin D Foods

1. Mushrooms
2. Fatty fish like salmon
3. Fortified plant based milk
4. Packaged Tuna
5. Fortified dairy like milk
6. Fortified orange juice
7. Fortified yogurt
8. Cereal
9. Whole eggs
10. Cheese

Continuing with Vitamin D signs, symptoms and cure of deficiency

In today’s world, most of us do not get adequate sun exposure, and children rarely go out to play because of their study commitments. For inadequate Vitamin D signs and symptoms in children, check for the following:

1. Fatigue or lack of interest in their work
2. Inability to pay attention for long durations 
3. Delayed growth and development, 
4. Frequent infections, muscle weakness, pain in joints or bone tenderness, and dental problems such as delayed tooth eruption etc.

Vitamin D deficiency detection methods 

Healthcare providers recommend a blood test to detect Vitamin D levels, specifically the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Normal levels range from 30 to 100 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) but it should be at least 80 for optimal levels of Vitamin D in children.