Calcium for babies
Calcium deficiency in babies is a fairly common daily occurrence. Meanwhile, this element is simply necessary for a child, especially in the first years of life, when the musculoskeletal system is being formed. To restore the deficiency, in addition to products containing Ca, it is necessary to take special calcium preparations for children.
The benefits of calcium for babies
The role of calcium in the human body can hardly be overestimated. It is involved in about three hundred different biological processes. Here are just a few of them:
- Muscle contraction;
- Nerve and muscle conduction;
- Blood clotting;
- Regulation of acid balance;
- Activation of enzymes and hormones of the endocrine system.
In addition, calcium has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-stress effects on the body.
The daily calcium intake for babies up to six months is 400 mg, for children 6-12 months old, it increases to 600 mg, and at the age of one to 10 years, this figure varies within 800 mg. If calcium is supplied to the body more than the norm, then it is excreted along with the urine, but a deficiency of this macronutrient occurs more often than an excess.
Causes of calcium deficiency in babies
The sources of calcium are different at each stage of a child's development. It has been scientifically proven that if during intrauterine development the fetus does not receive a sufficient amount of this macronutrient, then its indicators of height and weight at birth are less than that of other babies who did not experience a similar deficiency. In such children, signs of rickets may be observed in the first six months of life.
The next stage, when calcium is especially important for babies, is the child's bone growth, which is preceded by the accumulation of a macronutrient in the bones. This process is most pronounced in the periods from birth to one year, from 5 to 7 years and in adolescence. Therefore, it is so important to prevent factors contributing to calcium deficiency in children:
- Chronic diseases (especially rheumatic diseases and diseases of the liver and kidneys);
- Hormonal disorders;
- Genetic traits (eg, family history of osteoporosis):
- Improper nutrition of children (lack of dairy products in the diet, addiction to starchy foods and sweets).
If a pediatrician or orthopedist finds that the child has a Ca deficiency, special medications should be started.
Calcium preparations for children
Currently, there are many medicines containing calcium. The following brands have proven themselves well:
- Complivit calcium d3 (Russia);
- Dolomite (Czech Republic);
- Piimax (Finland);
- Berocca Ca + Mg (Hoffman la Roche).
An inexpensive and time-tested drug is calcium gluconate. It is prescribed not only for the deficiency of this macronutrient in children, but also for the treatment of other diseases.
The drug Kaltsinova (Slovenia) has a high bioavailability and bioavailability. It is often recommended by experts, and children love it for the original look and taste of the tablets. The only drawback is the presence of sugar and dyes in the shell, so this calcium preparation for babies with allergies and diabetes is contraindicated.
Children under seven years of age better tolerate drugs that do not have active metabolites of vitamin D. At school age, the use of these drugs is possible with vitamin D.
In addition to medicines, today there are many different dietary supplements that contain calcium and natural products (lingonberry, blueberry, apple, carrot).
It is advisable to use all calcium preparations for children in the evening with food, but the food should be not greasy and, if possible, free of phytic compounds (oatmeal), since they prevent the absorption of the macronutrient into the body.
Calcium supplements should be taken not only to treat its deficiency, but also as a prophylaxis, especially during a seasonal decrease in it in the body.
Complivit calcium d3 for babies
It is quite difficult for young children, especially infants under one year old, to find the right drug. An excellent remedy for the prevention of both Ca and vitamin D deficiency is Complivit calcium d3 for babies.
The dosage form of the drug is specially designed for the smallest patients, and vitamin D, which is part of its composition, helps more efficient absorption of calcium.
It is the only Ca and Vitamin D product approved for use in children from birth. Calcium d3 for babies is a suspension with a pleasant taste, so its intake does not cause a negative reaction even in the smallest. Another plus is the absence of dyes and preservatives.
All these features make the drug very attractive and often prescribed by pediatricians as a means for the treatment and prevention of calcium deficiency in children under one year old.
How and in what dosage to take calcium for children
It is the doctor's task to prescribe a dosage, as well as the drug itself. Usually babies up to a year are recommended one tablet, children 1-4 years old - two tablets at a time, 4-7 years old - up to three tablets. Primary school children usually take up to four tablets at a time.
Before giving the child a tablet, it is better to grind it. In this form, the drug is absorbed into the blood faster, and the effect of its action increases. Calcium gluconate should be given to the baby 1-1.5 hours before a meal. The medicine should be washed down with water or milk.
If the calcium supplement for babies does not contain vitamin D, it must be taken additionally, since otherwise the macronutrient will not be absorbed. You can never combine taking medication with heart drugs or iron pills, as they neutralize each other's action.
If the drug causes gastrointestinal upset in the child or any other undesirable symptoms appear, you should stop taking it immediately.
The duration of admission and dosage of the drug is prescribed by the pediatrician, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child. It should be remembered that calcium also enters the body with food, and an excess of it is as dangerous as a deficiency.
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