What Are the Effects of a Lack of Calcium?

At birth, children show susceptibility to panic, disturbed sleep, soft skull, large anterior cardia, and some even have throat wheezing and convulsions. This is a congenital calcium deficiency. Postnatal factors can also cause calcium deficiency in infants and young children.

Basic Information

English name

infantile calcium deficiency

Visiting department

Pediatrics

Multiple groups

Infants

Common causes

Calcium deficiency

Common symptoms

Irritability, irritability, disturbed sleep, crying at night, sweating, skull softening during shaking, square skull, anterior cardia enlargement and delayed closure, late teething, chicken breast, funnel chest, costal margin eversion, limb deformity

Causes of calcium deficiency in infants

There are many reasons for calcium deficiency in infants and young children, but there are two main factors, one is the continuation of calcium deficiency during the fetal period. Unreasonable nutrition during pregnancy, insufficient sunlight exposure, excessive fetal growth and excessive fetal growth can lead to fetal calcium deficiency, and babies at birth are susceptible to panic, restless sleep, soft skull, large frontal cardia, and some even have throat wheezing And convulsions, this is a congenital calcium deficiency. The second reason is postnatal factors: Insufficient sunlight exposure of infants and young children, insufficient vitamin D produced in the body, affect the absorption of calcium. Insufficient intake of vitamin D, infants and young children eat more natural foods, and natural foods contain less vitamin D, often cannot meet the demand for vitamin D, if not supplemented in time, it is easy to cause calcium deficiency. Insufficient calcium or inappropriate ratio of calcium and phosphorus in food affects calcium absorption. Infants and young children grow fast and have a large demand for vitamin D and calcium, which can easily cause calcium deficiency. Some diseases such as diarrhea and liver and kidney disease affect vitamin D metabolism and calcium absorption. The oxalate and phytate in some vegetables and cereals hinder calcium absorption.

Clinical manifestations of calcium deficiency in infants

Infants and young children have many manifestations of calcium deficiency, some early neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as irritability, irritability, restless sleep, crying at night, sweating, shaking their heads during sleep and so on. Further development caused skeletal changes, such as softening of the skull, square skull, enlarged frontal cardia and delayed closure, late teething, chicken breast, funnel chest, costal margin eversion, limb deformity ("O" or "X" legs, etc.) ), The pelvis becomes flat. In addition, calcium deficiency in infants can also cause muscle relaxation, low muscle tension, weak head and neck, backward development of sitting and standing, loosening of ligaments resulting in excessive expansion of large joints, low muscle tension causing abdominal swelling, abnormal cerebral cortex function affecting intellectual development, and apathetic expression , Language development retardation, low immunity is prone to infection.

Myths of calcium deficiency in infants

When it comes to calcium supplementation for infants and young children, there are many misunderstandings at present. Some people think that all infants and young children need calcium supplementation. In fact, this is wrong. Only the human body needs calcium supplementation, and those who do not need calcium supplementation do not. Calcium preparations cannot be taken during pregnancy, which is harmful to the development of infants and young children. This idea is also wrong. At present, pregnant women have short sun exposure and unreasonable diets are common. This situation causes pregnant women's calcium nutrition to not meet the needs of the fetus. Calcium supplementation is necessary to prevent calcium deficiency in infants and young children. Some parents hope that the baby will not be deficient in calcium through medicine alone. In fact, obtaining calcium through diet and vitamin D to help calcium absorption through sunlight is the most important way to prevent calcium deficiency, and it is also the safest. Medication supplementation with calcium alone is not safe and may not achieve the desired results. Many parents think that calcium deficiency is not enough for infants and young children, and it is not harmful to eat more calcium. This idea is also wrong. Deficiency of any kind of nutrient is not feasible, too much is also harmful, so the calcium supplement must be reasonable, and there must be correct methods.

Prevention of calcium deficiency in infants

The correct method of calcium supplementation is to adjust the diet first. Intake of calcium from the diet is the most important way and the safest way. A reasonable diet should start from pregnancy and even adjust the nutritional status before pregnancy. Only in this way can children be calcium-deficient during the fetal period, that is, congenital calcium deficiency does not occur. Promote breastfeeding after birth. Next, try to choose a formula that has the same nutritional composition as breast milk, and add supplementary food reasonably after 4-6 months. While adjusting your diet, you should increase the chance of outdoor activities, fully enjoy the sun's exposure, and make the body produce enough vitamin D to help the absorption of calcium. It should also start from pregnancy. In addition, we actively prevent and treat diseases that affect calcium and phosphorus metabolism and absorption, such as diarrhea, liver and kidney disease. On this basis, calcium and vitamin D preparations are appropriately supplemented. When choosing a calcium preparation, first of all, consider safety and security, and then consider the manufacturing process, solubility, absorption rate, and utilization rate.