Introduction Diet: Only 10% of our vitamin D comes from our diet. The following foods will help keep levels topped up: Vitamin D is important for various body functions and is especially required for the growth of bones in children. The main source of vitamin D is from exposure to sunlight and availability in dairy products. Insufficient exposure to sunlight and poor dietary habits has led to an increasing number of children diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. This leaflet explains some ways of preventing vitamin D deficiency in children. • oily fish (salmon, mackerel, trout) • dairy products • cod liver oil Complications of vitamin D deficiency Vitamin D deficiency leads to decreased absorption of calcium from our intestine. This leads to impaired bone growth as the child grows, resulting in a condition called rickets. This can lead to severe deformities in their bones and affect their ability to walk. Other complications of vitamin D deficiency include seizures, impaired heart function and recurrent infections. What is vitamin D? Vitamin D is a type of vitamin required by the body. The main function of vitamin D is to absorb calcium from food. The calcium is then used by the body for the growth of bones. Apart from this function, vitamin D is also important for immune function and may prevent some form of cancers. Why do children develop vitamin D deficiency? Pregnant mothers may have inadequate vitamin D in their body, leading to their babies having poor vitamin D stores. These babies are more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency as breast milk is a poor source of vitamin D. Natural sources of vitamin D Sunshine: Most of our vitamin D comes from the sun. The amount of vitamin D obtained from sunlight is variable as it depends on skin colour, duration of exposure to sunlight and underlying illness. Dark skinned people need more sunlight exposure to produce vitamin D when compared to light skinned people. 2 3 Insufficient exposure to sunlight occurs in some populations in the UK. Particularly affected are those who are dark skinned and who wear fully covered clothing. These result in decreased production of vitamin D in the body. If your skin is pale, you should be careful about over exposure in the sun, as this may lead to long term risk of skin cancer. Prevention of vitamin D deficiency in children To prevent vitamin D deficiency, babies require at least 200 IU of vitamin D daily from six months of age. Children’s vitamin drops – Healthy start (available free of charge from six months of age for eligible families) – 5 drops to be given once daily until five years of age. A link to the website is given below:http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/. Please speak to your GP or health visitor for further details about how to obtain the vitamin drops. There are various other over the counter preparations available to buy. Please check with your pharmacist about the correct dose of vitamins for your child. 4 Suggestions, Concerns and Complaints If you would like to provide feedback you can: • Ask to speak to the ward or department manager. • Write to us: Patient Advice and Liaison Services, 1st Floor, Cobbett House, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL • Log onto the NHS Choices website www.nhs.uk - click on ‘Comments’. If you would like to discuss a concern or make a complaint: • Ask to speak to the ward or department manager – they may be able to help straight away. • Contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – Tel: 0161 276 8686 e-mail: [email protected]. Ask for our information leaflet. No Smoking Policy The NHS has a responsibility for the nation’s health. Protect yourself, patients, visitors and staff by adhering to our no smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted within any of our hospital buildings or grounds. The Manchester Stop Smoking Service can be contacted on Tel: (0161) 205 5998 (www.stopsmokingmanchester.co.uk). Translation and interpretation service These translations say "If you require an interpreter, or translation, please ask a member of our staff to arrange it for you." The languages translated, in order, are: Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Polish, Somali and simplified Chinese. We welcome your feedback so we can continue to improve our services. Follow us on Facebook @CMFTNHS www.cmft.nhs.uk © Copyright to Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 5 (SF 2012 Taylor CM13781) TIG 58/12 Produced TIG ??May Review Date May 2014 (SF Taylor CM13781) Saint Mary’s Hospital Prevention of Vitamin D deficiency in children Information For Parents