Researchers have identified six cases of severe vitamin D deficiency, or rickets, and three cases of other nutritional deficiencies in Georgia infants.
Growing children require vitamin D for proper bone development.
According to the CDC toddlers with rickets may experience:
Human breast milk contains minimal vitamin D. While cheese and other dairy products are an important source of nutrition for some, they don't contain vitamin D, and many parents are unaware of that. Milk and adult breakfast cereals have some vitamin D, but the primary source for toddlers is vitamin D-fortified milk.
Sunlight is another source because it helps the body make its own supply of the vitamin. For most breast-fed infants, CDC researchers note, the combination of breast milk and sunlight exposure provides enough vitamin D. But they also point out that factors such as skin complexion, use of sunscreen and risk of skin cancer make it difficult to determine how much sunlight is needed.
Parents should realize that rice beverages are not an appropriate milk alternative for toddlers because the protein content is inadequate and it is full of carbohydrate that makes it very similar to soda or juice.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report March 30, 2001; 50: 224-226
I am not a huge fan of supplementation, but breast fed infants really seem to benefit from cod liver oil that is rich in both DHA and vitamin D. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin, it is more of a steroid precursor and DHA is clearly a food. The DHA contributes to improved brain development.
Not much cod liver oil is needed - only about half a teaspoon per day. I prefer Carlson's lemon flavored brand, which most people seem to enjoy. If the baby refuses to swallow it, it can be rubbed on the skin and the absorption will be nearly as good.
Dr. Ted Spence is a naturopath, Ph. D. nutritionist and dentist. He has previously told me that many mothers have told him (and others) that their doctor told them not to breast feed ... because it was causing cavities. He is in favor of breast feeding but not beyond 2-3 years old which he believes is adequate up to the weaning stage. He has found that the cavities are caused not by breastfeeding, but by the mother being vegan. If there is no vitamin D in mother's diet, then there would be no vitamin D in child's diet. If they were relying on breast milk for 100 % nutritional needs. He has seen 8 families of children with cavities all of whom were vegetarians; a few of these were being breast fed. He feels strongly that it is the vegan mother that is causing the problems in the children, but this is based on clinical observation only.
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