Does the baby need calcium supplementation? What are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies?

Calcium supplementation for babies has always been a topic of concern to many parents and friends. Calcium deficiency in babies will have a certain impact on the baby's physical health and growth, but supplementation should still be based on the child's actual situation.

Do babies need calcium supplements?

Whether a child needs calcium supplementation should be determined based on the actual situation, not based on the purposeful recommendations of some people or blindly following the trend. Should children under six months old who are fed with breast milk or formula take calcium supplements? The World Health Organization (WHO) provides clear intake standards. According to its "Infant Nutrition Guidelines", infants and young children should take 300 mg of calcium per day from 0 to 6 months old, and breast milk can provide sufficient dietary calcium for infants. The global infant formula standards published by the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Nutrition (ESPGHAN) show that every 1000 ml of formula should contain 330 to 940 mg of calcium. This means that as long as the child's digestion and absorption is normal and the milk powder is qualified, there is no need to supplement calcium supplements whether it is breastfed or artificially fed. In fact, Article 26 of the "Maternal and Infant Health Literacy-Basic Knowledge and Skills (Trial)" issued by the Ministry of Health last year also specifically pointed out that normal full-term newborns generally do not need to supplement calcium within 6 months after birth. On the contrary, for infants and young children, excessive calcium may reduce the absorption of nutrients such as iron and zinc, increase the burden on the kidneys, and even increase the risk of kidney stones.

What are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies?

1. Excessive sweating

The baby sweats a lot on the head after falling asleep at night, and observation has shown that it has nothing to do with the temperature.

2. Late teething

The timing of teething in babies varies from person to person. Generally, deciduous teeth begin to erupt at around 6 months old. If no teeth have erupted after 13 months, it is considered late teething and you need to consult a doctor to see if it is caused by calcium deficiency or other reasons.

3. Baldness on the back of the head

When babies are calcium deficient, they often like to shake their heads from side to side, causing friction between the back of their heads and the mattress, which causes some of their hair to be worn away, resulting in pillow baldness. When babies are calcium deficient, their hair is usually thin and yellow.

4. Growth retardation, bone and joint deformities

Children with calcium deficiency often have slow growth, and their speech and movements lag behind those of children of the same age. Some have "X" or "O" shaped legs due to osteoporosis.

5. Anorexia and picky eating

Insufficient calcium intake by the human body can easily lead to loss of appetite, low intelligence and decreased immune function.

6. Beaded Ribs

If the baby is calcium deficient, the cartilage of each rib will grow like beads, which often compresses the lungs, making it difficult for the baby to breathe and prone to tracheitis and pneumonia. If the baby has some of the above symptoms, it is likely that the baby is calcium deficient. Mothers can supplement calcium for the baby as appropriate. However, it should be noted that these symptoms do not mean that the baby is definitely calcium deficient. Mothers should not blindly supplement the baby.

In what cases are infants prone to calcium deficiency?

1. Insufficient calcium intake during pregnancy or lactation

If the mother does not consume enough calcium during pregnancy or lactation, the calcium content in breast milk will be low, affecting the baby's absorption of nutrients.

2. Improper feeding after weaning

If the baby is not supplemented with enough dairy products after weaning, and lacks high-calcium foods in the daily diet, it will also affect the baby's calcium absorption.

3. Affected by disease

When a baby suffers from diarrhea or gastrointestinal diseases, poor absorption and utilization of calcium by the intestines can easily lead to calcium deficiency.

What to do if your baby is calcium deficient

1. Eat more foods high in calcium

The best way to supplement calcium is through food. For babies who have already started eating complementary foods, milk, dairy products and bean products are good choices. Vegetables and fruits also contain a small amount of calcium. Nuts and seafood are high in calcium. They also contain vitamin D, which can promote calcium absorption.

2. Get more sun

Ultraviolet rays can promote the synthesis of VD in the body, so babies should expose their skin as much as possible and get appropriate sun exposure to help calcium absorption.

3. Exercise more

Mothers should help their babies do more physical activities so that the muscles can pull each other and stimulate the bones. This can enhance blood circulation and metabolism and reduce calcium loss.

4. Consult a doctor

Babies with severe calcium deficiency, such as muscle weakness and bone deformities, should go to the hospital in time to test trace elements and supplement calcium under the guidance of a doctor.