What are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in infants and young children? 4 major symptoms to pay attention to

The growth and development of children is what every parent is most concerned about. So, what are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in infants and young children?

Common symptoms of calcium deficiency in young children

1. If a child is calcium deficient after one year old, it will often manifest as late teething, or even no teething at the age of one and a half. It will also manifest as delayed closure of the anterior fontanelle or failure to close after one and a half years old, uneven teeth or insufficient hardness, and difficulty chewing food.

2. If the child wakes up suddenly at night and cries continuously, or has difficulty falling asleep or entering a deep sleep, it may be a sign of calcium deficiency. The baby is not only not interested in the surrounding environment, but also often looks dull, expressionless and not as lively as before or other children. These may be symptoms of calcium deficiency.

3. If the baby is seriously deficient in calcium, it will lead to muscle and tendon relaxation. If the spinal muscles are relaxed, it will often cause the child to have a hunchback; if the abdominal wall muscles and intestinal wall muscles are relaxed, it may often cause accumulation in the intestinal cavity and cause the child's abdomen to become frog-shaped. As a result, the child's movements and intelligence develop slowly. After the baby is 1 year old, he begins to learn to walk. If he lacks calcium, it will lead to the softening of the baby's bones, causing the baby to have the common "O" or "X" legs when standing due to osteoporosis in the lower limbs. In severe cases, it may also lead to fractures.

4. Excessive sweating on the head after falling asleep and the appearance of bald circles on the pillow are all manifestations of calcium deficiency in babies. If the baby sweats a lot and sweats a lot on the head after falling asleep and the appearance of bald circles on the pillow is not due to hot weather or environmental reasons, these may be symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies.

Small methods for calcium supplementation for infants and young children

Choose calcium supplements with light milk flavor

In order to please the taste preferences of infants and young children, many calcium supplements now add ingredients to make calcium supplements sour and sweet. If babies take such calcium supplements for a long time, it will affect the development of taste buds, cause taste preferences, and affect the baby's normal drinking of milk and water. Therefore, when choosing calcium for babies, you should consider the characteristics of their taste bud development. Don't choose calcium supplements that are too sour or too sweet. The first taste that appears after the baby is born is usually breast milk, and milk flavor is the most suitable taste for them. Therefore, light milk flavor is the first choice for mothers. It not only allows the baby to feel the taste of mommy, but also does not stimulate the taste buds, thus making the baby healthier.

Choose a calcium supplement that contains vitamin D

Whether vitamin D intake is sufficient is also key. Because vitamin D can help absorb calcium in the intestines, promote calcium deposition in the bones, and reduce calcium excretion through the kidneys. Without vitamin D, no matter how much calcium you take, you will not absorb much. Therefore, when choosing calcium supplements for your baby, you should choose calcium supplements containing vitamin D, which is beneficial to the baby's healthy growth.

In addition, sun exposure can also increase the production of vitamin D in your baby's body.

Don't let calcium meet oxalic acid

Spinach, snow vegetable, amaranth, water spinach, bamboo shoots, onions, wild rice stems, edamame, etc. all contain a lot of oxalic acid, which easily combines with calcium and affects absorption. Therefore, it is best to blanch the vegetables in hot water during calcium supplementation, or take calcium products 2 hours before meals or 3 to 4 hours after meals.

How to prevent and treat calcium deficiency in babies

1. Start prevention before the baby is born

Pregnant mothers should often go out to bask in the sun and eat more foods rich in vitamin D and calcium. From the fifth month of pregnancy, vitamin D and calcium supplements, such as calcium tablets, should be taken according to the doctor's instructions. This can prevent the baby from suffering from congenital rickets in the mother's womb. Especially in the cold north, calcium supplementation should be paid more attention.

2. Scientific feeding after birth

Adhere to breastfeeding, and breast milk should be fed to the baby for more than 6 months. Formula milk has a suitable calcium-phosphorus ratio and is rich in calcium. As long as the baby eats normally, it can meet the calcium needs. Babies under 6 months old need 300 mg of calcium per day, babies from 6 months to 1 year old need 400 mg per day, and babies from 1 to 3 years old need 600 mg per day. Mothers can calculate the amount indicated by the formula milk, and the insufficient calcium should be supplemented from calcium supplements.

3. Add complementary food in time according to the age of the baby

Egg yolks and livers contain more vitamin D in food. When the baby is 4-5 months old, you can feed the baby cooked egg yolks, and when the baby is 10 months old, you can add pork or lamb liver porridge. Milk, dairy products and seafood are rich in calcium and are easily absorbed in the intestines. When the baby's gastrointestinal tract is able to digest it, you can give the baby more calcium-rich complementary foods.

4. Take your baby out to sunbathe more often

After the baby is born, you should often take him outdoors to bask in the sun, generally for no less than 2 hours a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. When the sun is strong, you can take the baby to a cool place, or avoid going out to bask in the sun when the sun is strong. This can also allow the baby's body to be exposed to ultraviolet rays and increase the amount of VD conversion in the body.

5. Supplement VD in time after birth

Premature babies and twin babies should start supplementing vitamin D 1-2 weeks after birth, and full-term babies should start after 2-4 weeks. Under normal circumstances, babies under 6 months old should supplement 400 international units per day, and babies over 6 months old should supplement 400-600 international units per day.

Calcium deficiency diet for babies

1. Yam and sesame paste

Suitable for babies over 5 months old

Ingredients: 50 grams of fresh yam, 50 grams of black sesame seeds (fried).

Preparation method:

1). Peel the yam, cut it into small pieces, put it in a clean bowl, and steam it in a pot.

2). Mash the steamed yam with a small spoon.

3). Grind the black sesame seeds into powder in a grinder.

4). Add black sesame powder to the yam puree and mix well.

Nutrition Tips: Sesame seeds are rich in calcium, and yam promotes calcium absorption. The combination of the two is an ideal food for babies who are calcium deficient. Be sure to cook and eat it immediately, because sesame seeds are easily oxidized after being crushed, which reduces the calcium supplement effect.

2. Egg yolk and milk porridge

Suitable for babies over 7 months old

Ingredients: one fresh egg, 50 grams of rice, 60 milliliters of milk (or 1 teaspoon of formula milk powder), appropriate amount of water, and a little salt.

Preparation method:

1) Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for 1-2 hours

2) Wash the eggs, boil them, take out the egg yolks, and mash them for later use.

3) Pour the rice and water into the pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

4) Add egg yolk paste and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring while cooking. Add milk or formula milk and mix well. Add salt to taste.

Nutrition tips: Milk is rich in calcium, and egg yolk contains a certain amount of vitamin D, which can not only provide rich calcium, but also promote the baby's absorption and utilization of calcium. Salt must be added in small amounts, just a light salty taste.