Vitamin D Deficiency in Children

The most natural source of vitamin D is the sun. The fact that children today more often test for a deficiency in vitamin D simply means that the children are not going out more. They are staying indoor more and losing out on the outdoor adventures while still young. This happens for a number of reasons, but especially because digital devices keep children indoors, playing games online, and on their gadgets.

With the increasing number of games being released, it is inevitable that younger people are pulled in to play the games, and enjoy the new graphics, and the dynamics of the game. The games are more inclusive and diverse. Which spells out to mean that, each individual can create their own character and enjoy playing with their friends online. There is definitely peer pressure to stay indoors and get in the know on the latest games, and build your own online environment and reputation when it is all your peers talk about.

For those between the ages of 3 to their preteens, having the outdoors experience is important for their growth. Not just because it is important to strengthen their immunity, it also helps in their physical development. There are more reasons as to why children are becoming more vitamin D deficient. This includes the round the clock cartoon channels, and modified video streaming to cater for your kids specifically such as YouTube kids and Netflix. It becomes difficult to get the kids out when their favorite cartoons are on all day or at the click of a button.

The signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include getting sick often or being more susceptible to being infected for diseases. This also makes it harder for your wounds to heal. This leads you to stay sick longer, and even become more infected. Overall, it also leads to fatigue for the individual due to the deficiency. More so a person can experience hair loss and weakened bones. Hair like your nails has keratin. Therefore, not only will you have weak hair, but you will also have weak nails that break often or even turn to a yellowish color.

Someone who has vitamin D deficiency may also suffer from muscle pain. Very little vitamin D poses a high health risk even when there are no symptoms showing. Low vitamin D in the blood has been associated with a high risk of death from a cardiovascular disease. This alone is a scare for both parents and adults alike. Depending on your lifestyle, perhaps you do not get enough sunshine. To tackle vitamin D deficiency eating certain foods can add some vitamin D value to your body.

A good source of vitamin D includes a variety of protein foods which includes seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs and legumes such as beans and peas. Nuts are an additional source, as well as seeds and soy products. Fatty fish are good for more than just omega 3 fatty acids, it is also good for vitamin D by eating salmon, tuna and some mackerel. There are also small amounts of vitamin d found in beef liver and the egg yolk specifically.

Vegan options for vitamin D are also available. The options are such as almond milk, which Is fortified with vitamin d and chanterelle mushrooms when they’re raw. Orange juice is also a great source for fortified vitamin D, as well as soy yogurt which is fortified with vitamin D. to reduce the number of children with vitamin D deficiency, they should engage in outdoor games as per their school schedule, and as part of physical fitness undertaken by their immediate guardians and parents.

This will overall improve their help and open their minds to creativity and innovation through sports and crafts outside the confines of their homes, to explore nature for their own good.