All parents know that the child's body is in dire need of vitamins. If the rate of consumption of these substances is violated, a condition develops, which in medicine is called hypovitaminosis, and with the progression of a deficiency state, the absence of certain vitamins develops - avitaminosis. Vitamin deficiency in children is quite common, and a specific vitamin deficiency usually develops. When a child's body for normal growth and development lacks the most important several substances at once, then they talk about polyhypovitaminosis.
What it is?
It so happened that avitaminosis is popularly called all conditions associated with a lack of vitamins. The child began to peel off the skin on his hands - vitamin deficiency, he began to hurt more often - vitamin deficiency. This is a big mistake, and let's immediately distinguish between the concepts: what causes peeling of the skin and other symptoms of a lack of vitamins is called hypovitaminosis, that is, a partial deficiency. and real vitamin deficiency is a complete and total absence of a certain vitamin in the body.
Doctors all over the world consider vitamin deficiency a very dangerous condition. If the child lacks the necessary vitamins and does not eliminate it in time, the lack of a specific necessary substance can lead not only to disability, but also to the death of the child.
Another myth, which also needs to be dispelled right away, speaking about children's vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis, is the widespread opinion that it is enough to drink “vitamins”. Whatever you promise you from the screens, manufacturers of children's multivitamins, juices and baby food, vitamin deficiency cannot be treated on its own. It is life threatening... Only a doctor can tell which vitamins and how much they lack and where to get them from.
Attempts to feed the child with "vitamins" on their own can end in failure, because with an excess of certain vitamins (hypervitaminosis), the consequences for life and health can be devastating.
Causes of vitamin deficiency
Now, when we distinguish hypovitaminosis, which is widespread among children and adults, from vitamin deficiency, which is less common, it becomes clear that its main cause is neglected hypovitaminosis. If we talk about why the child initially developed vitamin deficiency, then the list of reasons will be solid.
It all depends on the lack of which vitamin in the baby is observed, although it is impossible not to name general universal reasons:
- eating disorders, lack of certain foods, vegetarianism;
- frequent use in food of carbohydrates, cereals that have undergone grinding;
- improper cooking, food storage, in which substances valuable for the child's body are destroyed even before they enter the body (some food cannot be frozen, and some cannot be boiled);
- stress, heavy physical exertion, illness, living in cold regions increase the need for vitamins by about 50-60%, and if this is not taken into account, the deficiency will certainly manifest itself;
- impaired absorption of vitamins as a result of gastrointestinal diseases, as well as against the background of taking antibacterial drugs.
Each type of vitamin deficiency has its own specific reasons.
- Lack of vitamin A - the child has little protein and carotene in the diet, he consumes little animal fat, is physically exhausted or is in a state of extreme emotional exhaustion for a long time. Lack of this vitamin may be the result of previous infections, and may also accompany chronic enteritis and colitis, liver and thyroid pathologies.
- Vitamin C deficiency - the child eats little fresh greens, vegetables, fruits, food for him is carefully and for a long time subjected to heat treatment. This form of vitamin deficiency develops with the abuse of baking, bread, as well as with significant mental and intellectual stress.
- Lack of vitamin B1 - there is no coarse flour in the diet, the child only has polished cereals. This form of hypovitaminosis is found in northern peoples due to the long eating of raw fish, as well as in all other peoples, if the child is given too much protein food. This deficiency often accompanies thyroid disease and diabetes mellitus.
- B2 deficiency - in the child's diet, dairy products, protein are absent or present, but in very small quantities. Often develops in diseases of the pancreas, intestines, liver.
- B3 deficiency - the child is in the sun too often and for a long time, eats a lot of corn, little protein. Also, this form of hypovitaminosis is typical for children taking drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis.
- Lack of B6 - a typical condition for children with diseases of the intestines, stomach.
- Lack of B9 - develops against the background of a long intake of antibiotics, after bowel surgery, as well as in children who eat food that has been exposed to high temperatures for too long
- Lack of B12 - child vegan, vegetarian. Often this form of deficiency occurs in chronic infection with worms and chronic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Deficiency D - lack of sunlight, rare being in the fresh air, low consumption of animal fat, lack of calcium salts, phosphorus.
- Deficiency K - a small amount of fat, eating low-fat foods, diseases of the blood, intestines, long-term use of antibacterial agents and anticoagulants.
The essence of therapy is to introduce the required substance into the body. Better with food, sometimes topically, in the form of an ointment, sometimes in tablets or injections. The food method is preferable, because it is in the intestines that vitamins are absorbed. The drugs are prescribed by the doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable.
Signs
Regardless of what vitamin is lacking, children begin to feel and look worse - they get tired faster, they are sleepy, irritable, they have a bad appetite. It should be understood that symptoms appear even when the lack of vitamin is significant, and if not equal to avitaminosis, then it is at the level of severe hypovitaminosis.
Mild forms of vitamin deficiency are rare, they can be detected in a laboratory study of the blood of a small patient.
- If the child does not have enough vitamin A, then his vision usually suffers, the so-called twilight blindness is observed, there are flaws in color perception. Hair becomes brittle, may fall out, and the skin is dry. Light stripes and irregularities may appear on the nail plates.
- With a lack of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) gums bleed, molars may fall out, bruises easily remain on the body, even with slight pressure or light touch.
- With a lack of vitamin B1 dry skin, neuritis develops, the child's legs begin to perceive heat and cold worse, the sensitivity of the skin on the legs decreases, and calf cramps develop. Sometimes the so-called edematous form develops, in which the heartbeat is disturbed, shortness of breath appears, there is visible edema.
- With a lack of vitamin B3 the skin becomes darker and heavily flaky; it is rough to the touch. Red spots form on the baby's hands. The tongue is hypertrophied, its color is rich crimson. There are neurological disorders and loose stools.
- In children with vitamin B6 deficiency conjunctivitis often develops, lips are dry and flaky, cracks appear in the corners of the mouth (angulitis). Decreased visual acuity. And babies who are acutely lacking in vitamin B12 often suffer from B12-folate deficiency anemia - hemoglobin in the blood drops, there are signs of gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice.
It is impossible to reliably find out anything by external signs. The child must be examined by a gastroenterologist, laboratory tests of blood and urine must be done.
Treatment
To treat the lack of vitamins in a hospital setting will be only in the case of vitamin deficiency (complete absence of one or more vitamins), with hypovitaminosis, outpatient treatment is sufficient. The smaller the shortage, the easier the correction. If the child has already reached the stage of vitamin deficiency, sometimes even in a hospital there is no way to help him, medicine is powerless.
The state of vitamin deficiency is easier to prevent than to cure; for this, parents of infants, preschoolers, schoolchildren and adolescents should pay close attention to the child's diet. Preventive intake of vitamins will help prevent seasonal (for example, spring) vitamin deficiency.
For information on what vitamins are best for your child and how to choose them, see the next video.
