Vitamin D3 the child does not sleep well. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, prevention and treatment of rickets in children

28-12-2008, 00:44

28-12-2008, 11:46

I give it in the morning, it doesn’t affect my sleep in any way, but when I gave it in the evening, I had problems falling asleep.

28-12-2008, 11:56

And I gave it in the evening - there were no problems:005:

28-12-2008, 12:29

oh, I also noticed the same effect, although it was six months ago. I thought we were the only ones. I stopped giving.

28-12-2008, 12:41

28-12-2008, 12:47

We started taking vitamin D (Vigantol) one drop per day. After two days of treatment, the child stopped sleeping during the day and generally became restless. I removed it and it went away in a day. He sleeps more or less normally, he only worries about (stomach-pee-poop). Has anyone encountered this effect?
I’m thinking whether to give it or not... The osteopath said: give it or don’t give it, but rickets will still happen - Peter. Pediatricians' opinions were divided.
I encountered such an effect from Aquadetrim, I tolerated Vigantol normally, and after a year I tolerated Aquadetrim normally. As the doctor explained to me, vigantol, since it is oily, it spreads over the spoon when you give it, and therefore there is only a little bit of a drop there. But mine was calm just before bed.
And the osteopath talks nonsense, if you have rickets it must be treated, otherwise there will be sad consequences :(

28-12-2008, 12:51

We started taking vitamin D (Vigantol) one drop per day. After two days of treatment, the child stopped sleeping during the day and generally became restless. I removed it and it went away in a day. He sleeps more or less normally, he only worries about (stomach-pee-poop). Has anyone encountered this effect?
I’m thinking whether to give it or not... The osteopath said: give it or don’t give it, but rickets will still happen - Peter. Pediatricians' opinions were divided.
here we are too
I stopped giving it. We went to the pediatrician. And she said that chest We are starting to have rickets, she gave us a referral for urine
I don’t know what to do... Vit D is causing green loose stools...

28-12-2008, 13:09

We have the same story: we take D and immediately don’t sleep and get sick, we immediately get snot, I thought we were the only ones.

28-12-2008, 13:17

Drinking in the evening I didn’t notice any deviations.
But definitely find another osteopath, otherwise he will find you many more problems: 010:

28-12-2008, 13:43

We generally have a problem with Vit D.
When I give it, I get terrible colic, and the baby screams and kicks all day long. Only Espumisan saves. She gave it a couple of times and stopped. Moreover, such a reaction to any form of vitamin D. I tried everything.
I told my mom - she said that I had the same reaction to D. Moreover, during pregnancy I had such a reaction to E - and everyone screamed - severe toxicosis. As soon as I canceled it, everything went away.

While we are sunbathing more, the neonatologist prescribed it, I also go to the solarium, it gets into my milk.

28-12-2008, 13:46

28-12-2008, 16:12

For us, taking vitamin D also affected our sleep... we slept, but very badly, restlessly, constantly crying and whimpering. 2 days after discontinuation, sleep improved. Moreover, there was such a reaction to both Aquadetrim and Vigantol. Multitabs were tolerated more or less normally.

And we are allergic to Multitabs, and vigantol and aquadetrim are in short supply now, as a result, the child was left without D at all :(

28-12-2008, 16:42

Interesting conclusion, we should try giving it during the day, maybe this is also causing us to have bad sleep???

29-12-2008, 00:11

At all? Did they replace it with anything?
I see that the problem is widespread... so choose: prevention of the disease or sleep 7-8 hours a day for a one and a half month old child...

Borisovna

29-12-2008, 00:13

29-12-2008, 00:27

While we are sunbathing more, the neonatologist prescribed it, I also go to the solarium, it gets into my milk.
When I'm older I'll give him German fish oil.
Do you also take the little one to the solarium?????

29-12-2008, 01:13

*Running Up*

29-12-2008, 01:18

I read it, but now I’m afraid to start giving. :) So I keep putting off the start.

Well, don't be afraid))) there will be no harm. Still, in our conditions, Vit. D. needed.
and if it doesn’t work, cancel it.

29-12-2008, 01:53

We’ve been taking Vigantol since 1 month... I haven’t noticed any changes in sleep... on the contrary, the further we sleep, the better (ttt)

1....Vitamin D is needed, in Turkey it is given to children all year round- my friend had two babies there and are already going to school - so she gave them vitamin D even in the summer (naturally, on the advice of doctors as a preventive measure).... from a friend I heard a good one in Finland children's vitamin D is

29-12-2008, 02:32

Exactly! But I didn’t somehow compare both of these facts at once. They also stopped sleeping until 4 am. And today I forgot to give it, he’s been sleeping since he was 12, like a dead man...
why like this side effect? I didn't expect it from a vitamin...

29-12-2008, 03:05

We are already 9 months old, and D is also tormented by problems with this. And we don’t sleep, and rickets seems to be starting (regardless of constant use). We took Aquadetrim, now Multitabs... Maybe someone knows how the lamps of a modern solarium differ from the Soviet lamps in clinics ? It seems like their emission spectrum is slightly different? And also girls, please tell me what they look like, are they called Finnish, German, etc. Vitamin D preparations? I know that they bring some kind of tablets for teeth from Finland (to keep them strong). Maybe someone knows? Please tell me.

All parents know that children in the first years of life should receive enough vitamin D, as it affects the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, which is necessary for the growth of bones and teeth, as well as excitability nervous system, including for sleep. At the same time, everyone knows that this vitamin differs from its counterparts in that it is synthesized upon contact with sunlight. That is, you need to walk outside in the open air (not even necessarily in the sun), and then vitamin D seems to be enough. I have repeatedly heard this expression: “It is necessary for your hands and face to be in the sun for 10-15 minutes and this will be your daily dose of vitamin D.” It seems that all this is very logical - walk on the street, and there will be no problems. But on the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend giving children in the first years of life vitamin D drops daily for preventive purposes. Don’t these serious organizations know that to get vitamin D you need to walk enough?

The question tormented me for a very long time, because I could not understand whether folk wisdom better than recommendations world scientific communities? As a neurologist, I specialize in a disease called multiple sclerosis. The risk factor for this disease is precisely the lack of vitamin D. On one of the European congresses on multiple sclerosis(ECTRIMS) I listened to a whole course of lectures on childhood multiple sclerosis, and I still remember the phrase said by the first speaker, a well-known expert on this issue: “When was the last time you gave your child vitamin D? And when did you take it yourself?” Then I was struck by this topic, but over time everything was forgotten, since I wanted to become an adult neurologist, but I didn’t have my own children yet. But today this topic is more relevant to me than ever. A lack of vitamin D not only leads to rickets, its deficiency increases the risk of developing diabetes, bronchial asthma and many others autoimmune diseases, depression, and cardiovascular diseases. Let's find out together whether walking is enough to get enough vitamin D or do you still need to give drops, as experts recommend?

First, let me give you a little theory. What is vitamin D? This includes a whole group of fat-soluble vitamins, but vitamin D3 is best known to us. Distinctive feature of this vitamin is that it is synthesized when sunlight comes into contact with the substance 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), which is found in surface layers skin. Everything here seems logical and understandable. Walk in the sun - the rays will come into contact with the skin of exposed areas, and vitamin D will be produced. Usually these facts are the reason why doctors recommend just walking in the sun, and not drinking “chemical” vitamin D. But that’s not the case simple, as it turned out. This doesn't explain why world organizations Still, they recommend taking vitamins and not just going for a walk. And only in the Arctic Circle is it advisable to take vitamin drops; in other parts of the planet, partying is sufficient. Is this true?

Let's take a closer look. What kind of rays are responsible for the production of vitamin D? All ultraviolet rays can be divided into several types - UVA, UVB, UVC. UVC rays are almost completely reflected by layers of the atmosphere and do not reach the earth's surface. But UVA rays reach almost completely, and at any time of the year, anywhere on the planet, except for the Arctic. “So now everything becomes clear!” - you say. If UVA rays reach us, then vitamin D is also produced. But that's not all. Fortunately or unfortunately, vitamin D is produced under the influence of UVB rays, which are partially reflected on the way to Earth. It is these rays that are very tricky in that they are only available when the sun is at an angle of 35 degrees or higher. That is, only at the moment of maximum solar activity, with 12:00 to 16:00(according to some data from 10:00). But that's not all. If you are at a latitude that is greater than 35 degrees, you can only receive UVB exposure at certain time year. But that's not all. In order for UVB rays to reach the surface, it is necessary that the air was clean. That is, in major cities even in optimal time year and time of day, most of the rays are scattered due to smog or exhaust gases. Also plays a role surface of the earth, on which the rays fall. For example, snow reflects up to 85% of ultraviolet radiation, sand and asphalt - up to 12%, and water and grass up to 5%. In cloudy weather Some of the rays are scattered. Vitamin D is produced only through contact sun rays With exposed skin.

Vitamin D is produced under the influence UVB rays, which are partially reflected on the way to Earth.

Now you understand why the phrase does not work for everyone: “Expose your hands and face to the sun for 10 minutes - and you will get daily dose vitamin D." If you live in big city, far from the equator and do not walk from noon to 16 hours, then you receive 0 Units of vitamin D.

For example, I live in Kyiv. If I were now ( in early February when I wrote this article) walked for a whole 4 hours, from 12 to 16 o'clock, in only shorts and a T-shirt, that is maximum quantity skin was open to irradiation, I would have received 0 Units of vitamin D in the same way, since Kyiv is 50 degrees north latitude. And Kiev residents will have the opportunity to receive vitamin D only from March to October. But even at this time, the opportunities for obtaining it will be quite limited.

There is a simple rule for determining solar activity. If your shadow is larger than your height, then the sun is too low to receive vitamin D.

It also affects the synthesis of vitamin D skin type. The lighter the skin, the more vitamin D will be produced. There are 6 skin types, from the lightest (1st) to black (6th). With age, as the skin ages, the ability to receive vitamin D decreases. That is, babies have a greater opportunity to get vitamin D.

For example, if you live in Miami (25 degrees north latitude), if you have 3rd skin type, you will need 6 minutes of walking in the sun at noon in the summer, and 15 minutes in the winter. It is these numbers that are usually cited to ridicule those who take vitamin D drops. Before you get scared of this phrase next time, ask: “Do you live in Miami? In Cairo? In Mumbai?

If you live in Boston (42 degrees north latitude), then 3rd skin type you will need about an hour of walking in the summer at peak solar activity. Since Boston is too far from the equator, it is impossible to get a sufficient dose of vitamin D in winter. Cities such as Madrid, Tbilisi, and Almaty can also be included here.

For Kyiv, which is located even further north (50 degrees), it takes even more time, and it is also impossible to get vitamin D from October to March.

Now you see that the options for getting vitamin D are quite limited. But there is another very important point, which should be remembered by everyone who strives to get as much vitamin D as possible while walking outside. All the same factors that are needed to obtain vitamin D are risk factors cancer diseases skin. Exactly ultraviolet rays type B are the main etiological factor non-melanomacytic skin cancer.

Let's think about these factors again:

- skin type (the lighter the skin, the more dangerous prolonged exposure to the sun is)

- age (the younger, the more sensitive skin)

- latitude less than 35 degrees

- time of year

— time of day (peak solar activity from 10:00 to 16:00)

— cloudy

— air pollution

- the type of surface on which the rays fall.

This is exactly what it is key reason that world organizations recommend vitamin D for children in the form food additives. After all, walking outside in the summer from 12 to 4 can get not only vitamin D, but also many problems.

What about sunscreens?

Yes, indeed, if you use a sunscreen with a high degree of protection (SPF 30+ and higher), the skin becomes protected. But on the other hand, the cream blocks skin receptors that are responsible for the production of vitamin D. Although, according to some data, sunscreens do not provide 100% protection against skin cancer.

How much vitamin D do babies need?

For children under one year of age the dose is set at 400-500 IU(international units) daily. It should be remembered that vitamin D tends to accumulate.

There is an opinion that children on breastfeeding get enough vitamin D mother's milk. But this is only possible if the mother receives very large dose vitamin D (5-6 thousand ME), which can be hazardous to health. The vitamin D content in breast milk is on average 0.1 mcg per 1 liter. Since 10 mcg = 400 IU, then 0.1 mcg = 4 IU. It turns out that a child who sucks 1 liter breast milk(which corresponds to an age somewhere after 4-5 months, and not always), he will receive about 4 IU of vitamin D per day (this is approximately 1/100 of the norm).

On the other hand, if the baby is on artificial feeding , he may not need additional vitamin D, since most modern formulas already contain sufficient quantity vitamin D (you can verify this by multiplying the amount of vitamin D in 100 ml of the mixture by the number of ml of the mixture that the baby consumes throughout the day).

Babies after one year and adults up to 70 years old require 500-600 IU.

It should also be remembered that an overdose of vitamin D is dangerous, since it belongs to fat-soluble vitamins and takes a long time to be eliminated from the body. In the case of vitamin D, the “in reserve” option may not only not be useful, but also dangerous. More high dose vitamin D can be prescribed only with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of rickets.

Dear parents! It is very important for babies to get enough vitamin D in the first years of life. If you live further from the equator than 35 degrees latitude, then your options for getting vitamin D are very limited, but even if you can walk when solar activity is at its peak, it can be dangerous for your health and the health of your children. In most cases, supplemental vitamin D intake is advisable, unless your baby is bottle-fed.

Take care of yourself and your children, and be healthy!

If a child lacks vitamin D, symptoms will not take long to appear. After all, its deficiency causes such terrible disease like rickets. The consequences of the advanced form of this disease are very serious. But don’t rush to the pharmacy - an excess of vitamin D is also very dangerous. How to find " golden mean"so as not to harm the child's health?

Why is vitamin D needed in the body?

Vitamin D performs in the body various functions, which are very extensive.

Mineralization bone tissue.

Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium in the intestines and maintains its level in the blood. At the same time, it enhances the absorption of fluoride in the kidneys, helping to form phosphorus-calcium salt, which is necessary for the mineralization of bone tissue.

Boosting immunity.

Vitamin D increases the synthesis of monocytes ( immune cells), affecting the corresponding area of the bone marrow.

Slowing down the growth of cancer cells.

Vitamin D and its derivatives activate a special protein that blocks uncontrolled cell division. It also slows down the development of tumors blood vessels, which are necessary for its nutrition.

Release of insulin.

Vitamin D is necessary for the release of insulin from the pancreas. Without insulin, blood glucose levels rise, increasing the risk of developing diabetes.

Stabilization of the nervous system.

Without vitamin D, it is impossible to restore the protective membranes surrounding the nerve. After all, for this you need magnesium to be absorbed intensively. Maintaining calcium levels in the blood is also impossible without vitamin D. Without it, transmission nerve impulses will be inferior.

What is vitamin D?

6 varieties of vitamin D have been found, but two types are the most active.

Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol).

This vitamin is obtained by exposing certain types of fungi to ultraviolet light. Enters the body only with food. It is added to mixtures and various products, as well as in dietary supplements.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Contained in products of animal origin. In addition, cholecalciferol is formed in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

The remaining vitamins D - D1, D4, D5 and D6 - are considered derivatives of vitamin D3. But all varieties of cholecalciferol have the same functions. The only difference is biological activity and in the method of obtaining.

How does vitamin D deficiency manifest in a child?

A lack of vitamin D in a child causes rickets. Children under one year of age are especially at risk of this disease. On initial stage Rickets in infants affects the nervous system. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, at first glance, are not so terrible. They are easy to miss in children who are restless from birth.

The child becomes irritable and cries often.
The baby's sweating increases and occipital baldness appears. After sleeping, a wet spot remains around the child’s head on the bed (the so-called “wet pillow syndrome”). Due to sweating, the back of the baby's head begins to itch and the child begins to rub it on the crib. Hair wears out and bald spots appear.
The child does not sleep well, sleep is shallow and intermittent.

When observed by a pediatrician, the first signs of rickets will not go unnoticed. In this case, the symptoms quickly stop and in the future do not threaten the health of the children.

If the first signs of cholecalciferol deficiency have passed unnoticed, changes occur in the skeletal system.

Due to a lack of calcium, the bones of a child’s skull become thin and soft, and the back of the head “bevels” to the side where the child spends more time.
The fontanel does not close, the edges become soft.
The frontal bones protrude like tubercles.
Children's teeth begin to erupt late and often in an unusual order.
Rachitic “rosary beads” appear - the ribs thicken at the junction of bone tissue into cartilaginous tissue.
The lower part of the baby's sternum is retracted (“cobbler's chest”), when further development upper part the sternum protrudes (“chicken breast”).
The child's legs become X-shaped or O-shaped.

It is very difficult to miss such symptoms in children. Nowadays, the disease rarely goes that far, but you need to know that following signs already affect internal organs.

Diarrhea, regurgitation, and vomiting appear due to a decrease in the formation of food enzymes.
The amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells decreases - anemia appears.
Appears muscle hypotonia- the child, lying on his back, takes a frog pose.
In severe cases, children develop mental retardation.

Remember! An excess of vitamin D in children is very dangerous, sometimes even more dangerous than its deficiency. Blood pressure rises, vomiting and nausea appear. Calcium is deposited in organs, especially the kidneys. Often such processes in children are irreversible. Draw conclusions - do not self-medicate. Only a pediatrician, after examining the baby, if additional tests are suspected, can prescribe vitamin D.

How to avoid rickets?

To prevent rickets, a child needs cholecalciferol. The baby’s body receives it from food, with the help regular walks under the sun's rays and medicinal form. Expectant mother Even during pregnancy, she can lay the foundation for her baby’s health. To do this, you need to eat well and go for walks every day. fresh air.

The diet of infants is not varied. The diet of children up to six months consists entirely of breast milk or formula. It is believed that breastfeeding is best prevention rickets, because mother's milk contains cholecalciferol and its derivatives. But is it enough? This is due to the mother’s lifestyle and diet.

Products containing cholecalciferol are few:

dairy products - milk, butter, sour cream, cream;

egg yolks;

fish - salmon, herring, mackerel;

liver - pork, beef, chicken, etc.

A nursing mother should have these foods in her diet so that she herself does not lack vitamin D. Otherwise, she may also suffer from a lack of it.

For children who are bottle-fed, adapted formulas are made that contain vitamin D. For infants, it is important to find a suitable high-quality formula that will cover all the needs for vitamins and minerals. You won't be able to save money here. Formulas with a composition adapted for infants are quite expensive. At the same time, children's health is more important than material values.

To obtain vitamin D from exposure to the sun, your child needs to walk outdoors more often. In summer, it is best to go outside in the morning and evening. It is not necessary (and often even harmful) for your baby to sunbathe in direct sunlight. It is more beneficial to walk in the lacy shade of trees, where ultraviolet radiation does not have a harmful effect.

But for some babies it's not enough measures taken. This is especially true for premature babies and those born with pathologies. These babies are given liquid cholecalciferol. There are 2 forms of drugs: aqueous and oil solutions. Pediatricians often prescribe aqueous solution vitamin D - "Aquadetrim". It can be given to children with problems gastrointestinal tract, as it is quickly absorbed. One drop of solution contains the minimum preventive dose of vitamin D - 500 IU. Oil solution takes longer to digest. It is not prescribed to children with gastrointestinal problems or kidney diseases. An oil solution of vitamin D is more difficult to dose, which does not exclude an overdose of the drug.

Today, pediatricians recommend taking Dquadetrim or its oil analogue to every child born in autumn, winter and the first half of spring. Those born in late spring and summer are considered to have enough sun rays. But for premature infants, it is possible to revise the recommendations regarding both the time of year and the dose.

When should you go to the pediatrician?

If parents have any doubts about rickets in their child, they should definitely contact their pediatrician. There is an opinion that they will immediately appoint serious treatment baby. Often, the pediatrician will identify the symptoms, visually examine the child, and feel the skull bones, fontanel and ribs. If the suspicions are unfounded, the doctor may prescribe a blood test from a vein. The blood sampling procedure is not very pleasant, but you will know for sure whether your baby needs to additionally take Aquadetrim or its analogues. The signs of vitamin D deficiency in the early stages are very vague and it is quite difficult to recognize whether they are a problem.

All parents know that children in the first years of life should receive enough vitamin D, as it affects the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, which is necessary for the growth of bones and teeth, and also affects the excitability of the nervous system, including sleep. At the same time, everyone knows that this vitamin differs from its counterparts in that it is synthesized upon contact with sunlight. That is, you need to walk outside in the open air (not even necessarily in the sun), and then vitamin D seems to be enough. I have repeatedly heard this expression: “It is necessary for your hands and face to be in the sun for 10-15 minutes and this will be your daily dose of vitamin D.” It seems that all this is very logical - walk on the street, and there will be no problems. But on the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend giving children in the first years of life vitamin D drops daily for preventive purposes. Don’t these serious organizations know that to get vitamin D you need to walk enough?

I was tormented by a question for a very long time, because I could not understand whether folk wisdom is really better than the recommendations of the world scientific communities? As a neurologist, I specialize in a disease called multiple sclerosis. The risk factor for this disease is precisely the lack of vitamin D. On one of the European Congresses on Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) I listened to a whole course of lectures on childhood multiple sclerosis, and I still remember the phrase said by the first speaker, a well-known expert on this issue: “When was the last time you gave your child vitamin D? And when did you take it yourself?” Then I was struck by this topic, but over time everything was forgotten, since I wanted to become an adult neurologist, but I didn’t have my own children yet. But today this topic is more relevant to me than ever. A lack of vitamin D not only leads to rickets, its deficiency increases the risk of developing diabetes, bronchial asthma and many other autoimmune diseases, depression, and cardiovascular diseases. Let's find out together whether walking is enough to get enough vitamin D or do you still need to give drops, as experts recommend?

First, let me give you a little theory. What is vitamin D? This includes a whole group of fat-soluble vitamins, but vitamin D3 is best known to us. The distinctive feature of this vitamin is that it is synthesized when the sun's rays come into contact with the substance 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), which is found in the superficial layers of the skin. Everything here seems logical and understandable. Walk in the sun - the rays will come into contact with the skin of exposed areas, and vitamin D will be produced. Usually these facts are the reason why doctors recommend just walking in the sun, and not drinking “chemical” vitamin D. But that’s not the case simple, as it turned out. This doesn’t explain why world organizations still recommend taking vitamins and not just going for a walk. And only in the Arctic Circle is it advisable to take vitamin drops; in other parts of the planet, partying is sufficient. Is this true?

Let's take a closer look. What kind of rays are responsible for the production of vitamin D? All ultraviolet rays can be divided into several types - UVA, UVB, UVC. UVC rays are almost completely reflected by layers of the atmosphere and do not reach the earth's surface. But UVA rays reach almost completely, and at any time of the year, anywhere on the planet, except for the Arctic. “So now everything becomes clear!” - you say. If UVA rays reach us, then vitamin D is also produced. But that's not all. Fortunately or unfortunately, vitamin D is produced under the influence of UVB rays, which are partially reflected on the way to Earth. It is these rays that are very tricky in that they are only available when the sun is at an angle of 35 degrees or higher. That is, only at the moment of maximum solar activity, with 12:00 to 16:00(according to some data from 10:00). But that's not all. If you are at a latitude that is greater than 35 degrees, you may only be exposed to UVB rays at certain times of the year. But that's not all. In order for UVB rays to reach the surface, it is necessary that the air was clean. That is, in large cities, even at the optimal time of year and time of day, most of the rays are scattered due to smog or exhaust gases. Also plays a role surface of the earth, on which the rays fall. For example, snow reflects up to 85% of ultraviolet radiation, sand and asphalt - up to 12%, and water and grass - up to 5%. In cloudy weather Some of the rays are scattered. Vitamin D is produced only when the sun's rays come into contact with exposed skin.

Vitamin D is produced under the influence UVB rays, which are partially reflected on the way to Earth.

Now you understand why the phrase: “Expose your hands and face to the sun for 10 minutes - and you will get your daily dose of vitamin D” does not work for everyone. If you live in a big city, far from the equator, and don’t walk from noon to 4 p.m., then you get 0 units of vitamin D.

For example, I live in Kyiv. If I were now ( in early February when I wrote this article) I walked for a whole 4 hours, from 12 to 16 o’clock, in only shorts and a T-shirt, that is, the maximum amount of skin was open to irradiation, I would have received 0 Units of vitamin D in the same way, since Kyiv is 50 degrees north latitude. And Kiev residents will have the opportunity to receive vitamin D only from March to October. But even at this time, the opportunities for obtaining it will be quite limited.

There is a simple rule for determining solar activity. If your shadow is larger than your height, then the sun is too low to receive vitamin D.

Vitamin D synthesis also affects skin type. The lighter the skin, the more vitamin D will be produced. There are 6 skin types, from the lightest (1st) to black (6th). With age, as the skin ages, the ability to receive vitamin D decreases. That is, babies have a greater opportunity to get vitamin D.

For Kyiv, which is located even further north (50 degrees), it takes even more time, and it is also impossible to get vitamin D from October to March.

Now you see that the options for getting vitamin D are quite limited. But there is one more very important point that everyone who wants to get as much vitamin D as possible by walking outside needs to remember. All the same factors that are needed to obtain vitamin D are risk factors skin cancer. It is ultraviolet B rays that are the main etiological factor in non-melanomacytic skin cancer.

Let's think about these factors again:

- skin type (the lighter the skin, the more dangerous prolonged exposure to the sun is)

- age (the younger, the more sensitive the skin)

- latitude less than 35 degrees

- time of year

— time of day (peak solar activity from 10:00 to 16:00)

— cloudy

— air pollution

- the type of surface on which the rays fall.

This is precisely the key reason why world organizations recommend vitamin D in the form of nutritional supplements for children. After all, walking outside in the summer from 12 to 4 can get not only vitamin D, but also many problems.

What about sunscreens?

How much vitamin D do babies need?

For children under one year of age the dose is set at 400-500 IU(international units) daily. It should be remembered that vitamin D tends to accumulate.

There is an opinion that children breastfed Get enough vitamin D from mother's milk. But this is only possible if the mother receives a very large dose of vitamin D (5-6 thousand ME), which can be hazardous to health. The vitamin D content in breast milk is on average 0.1 mcg per 1 liter. Since 10 mcg = 400 IU, then 0.1 mcg = 4 IU. It turns out that a child who sucks 1 liter of breast milk (which corresponds to an age somewhere after 4-5 months, and not always), will receive about 4 IU of vitamin D per day (this is approximately 1/100 of the norm).

On the other hand, if the baby is bottle-fed, he may not need additional vitamin D intake, since most modern formulas already contain a sufficient amount of vitamin D (you can verify this by multiplying the amount of vitamin D in 100 ml of formula by the number of ml of formula that the baby consumes throughout the day).

Babies after one year and adults up to 70 years old require 500-600 IU.

You should also remember that an overdose of vitamin D is dangerous, since it is a fat-soluble vitamin and takes a long time to be eliminated from the body. In the case of vitamin D, the “in reserve” option may not only not be useful, but also dangerous. A higher dose of vitamin D can be prescribed only with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of rickets.

Take care of yourself and your children, and be healthy!

Natalia Domres,
children's sleep consultant
neurologist
and author of the “Baby’s Dream” project

*a list of information sources can be easily collected using https://www.google.com and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (by searching “vitamin d uvb/vitamin d cancer/vitamin d baby "). Colleagues can get a list of sources by contacting me by clicking

Classmates

Good day, everyone, everyone, everyone! You're after another sleepless night and your patience has run out? You ask yourself, “Why isn’t he sleeping?” and don't know what to do? How I understand you!

Let's look at the reasons together bad sleep and try to eliminate them.

Every child is different and what works in one situation may have the opposite effect in another. But, in order to find out the reasons for a child’s poor sleep, and also figure out how to help the baby sleep well, you need to try various ways and find the one that suits your baby.

Reasons that negatively affect a child's sleep:

Colic. In the first months of life, babies may have a tummy ache. Colic is accompanied by bloating and a sharp, piercing cry from the baby.
Fears. In children, the first fears appear at the age of 1.5 years. These can be various fears, for example, fear of the dark, fear that mother will not return.
Early check-in big bed. Sometimes parents move their child to a big bed when he is not yet ready for this.
Teeth are being cut. When teeth begin to cut, a child may wake up very often at night and cry. During the day it will not be so noticeable, because the baby is interested in everything, he is all in motion, but at night the teeth make themselves felt. And often the teeth come in pairs.
Poor sleeping conditions. Perhaps the child does not like the bed - it is too soft or hard, maybe the sheet is hard. Also, your home may be too hot or stuffy.
Lifestyle. A child may become overexcited in the evening; if a child runs around the house late at night, it means he is already overtired.
Disease
Weather. Weather changes can also affect children, such as the full moon.
Age-related changes. If the child has recently mastered something new, for example, began to roll over, sit, crawl, walk.
Reaction to the events of the day. A visit, a move, a lot of impressions, the arrival of relatives.
The psychological factor is the first time in the understanding of the baby - he and the mother are a single whole. About a year (everyone is individual) the child begins to understand that mom can leave (even if just to another room). He is worried, afraid to be left alone, afraid that his mother will not return.
If breastfeeding was limited during the day, the baby will catch up at night (if the baby is breastfed).
Distractions. If the lights are on, the TV is on, or there are a lot of toys in the baby's crib, then the child is distracted from sleep.
Lack of vitamin D. One of the reasons for a child’s poor sleep may be a lack of vitamin D. To find out if your baby is normal this indicator, it is necessary to take a urine test according to Sulkovich. Depending on the result, the pediatrician will prescribe required dose. Healthy children should be given 1-2 drops of vitamin D.

Well, we figured out the reasons. I will give you some tips to make your child's sleep calmer and longer.

The child should be tired, but in no case overtired!
Create a bedtime ritual. This could be reading a fairy tale, putting toys to bed, saying goodbye to family, kissing goodnight, bathing. Everyone has their own ritual. It is important that the ritual is always the same and always at the same time.
Determine when you. After all, some children want to eat after bathing and immediately fall asleep, while others, on the contrary, begin to play. We first bathed our son in the evening, before bed, but later we determined that after bathing our child got a second wind and there was no talk of any sleep.
If you bathe your baby before bed, you can add a couple of drops to the bath essential oil lavender. Fill the bath with water, add 4-5 drops of lavender to a tablespoon of salt, sour cream, kefir (whatever you like) and run the spoon under running water. You need to swim for 15 minutes. Lavender has calming properties. After swimming, go to bed immediately.
Ventilate the room before going to bed, make sure your child is not hot or cold.
Give it to the child.
Observe in which position your baby sleeps better. We put our son to sleep on his tummy a month ago, and he began to sleep much better.
If your baby has colic, give Espumisan or another remedy against it, place a warm towel on the tummy, and stroke the tummy. It helped my son when I laid him on my stomach (tummy to tummy).
When teething, you can anoint your teeth with calgel or another preparation intended for this purpose.
Try leaving the child to fall asleep on his own, maybe you are the one distracting him.
How better baby sleeps during the day, the calmer and better you will sleep at night.
Helps some co-sleeping(more details). This way the child feels his mother nearby and sleeps more peacefully.

But some reasons you just need to survive, endure. Your baby is growing, developing, experiencing, realizing. All this is temporary and the baby needs to be supported and encouraged.

Dominic (my son) began to sleep more soundly after (at 1 year 10 months). But it was time for us to stop feeding. And if I had decided to stop feeding earlier, I think the result would have been the opposite. I draw these conclusions based on the stories of other mothers.

Ivonka (daughter), who is now 1 year 8 months old, does not always sleep well. But I know the reasons for our poor sleep and I calm myself down, because everything is temporary. Teeth and slight nasal congestion, overtiredness (if you don’t put the children to bed on time, they get a second wind and a “fun” night is guaranteed). I feed her and understand that until she agrees to fall asleep without a breast. But I also understand that in 2-3 weeks everything will probably change dramatically.

If you have your own method that is not covered here, please write about it. Perhaps you will help someone with your advice.

Have good dreams!