Vitamin D Overdose in Children
Vitamin D overdose in small children is not so common but it can be a serious health issue. However, there is no need to panic because it is a treatable condition. Read this article to know more on vitamin D overdose in children.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and is essential for the healthy functioning of the body. It plays a major role in absorption of important minerals like calcium and phosphorus in body which in turn keep the bones and muscles healthy. Deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets in children that has an adverse effect on the growth and development of the child. It can lead to bone deformities. However, overdose of vitamin D is also not good for children. The condition of vitamin D overdose is termed as hypervitaminosis D.
How do Children Get Vitamin D Overdose
The main cause of too much vitamin D in children is excess intake of vitamin D supplements. The requirement of vitamin D in human body is quite low. The maximum amount of vitamin D needed is produced by the body itself with the help of sunlight. Daily exposure to sunlight for 10-15 minutes is enough to produce adequate amount of vitamin D. So, the daily requirement of vitamin D from various food sources is not more than 5 micrograms or 200 IU. So, we can say that children do not need any additional vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D commonly occur in those children who are suffering from rickets or vitamin D deficiency. It may also be found in children who do not have the ability to absorb vitamin D from the food sources due to some health disorder like kidney problem. They are given vitamin D supplements is in order to counter the effect of lack of vitamin D in their body. Depending on the condition of the patient, the exact dosage is ascertained. The maximum limit of daily dosage of vitamin D supplements recommended for children are as follows:
- Babies below the age of one: 1,000 IU
- Toddlers below 4: 2,500 IU
- Children in between 4-8 years: 3,000 IU
- Children above the age of 9: 4,000 IU
If the dosage of vitamin D is increased beyond this limit without consulting the doctor, then children can have vitamin D overdose. Similarly, if the recommended dosage is continued for several months without monitoring the level of vitamin D in the body, then it can lead to overdose. In other words, one single overdose of vitamin D supplement does not cause vitamin D toxicity. Rather, it develops over a period of time. As this vitamin is not soluble in water, the body cannot excrete out the excess amount of vitamin. The extra vitamin D get stored up inside the fat cells and reaches up to the toxic levels.
How to Recognize Vitamin D Overdose in Children
Excess of vitamin D in a child’s body can have an adverse effect on the digestive health and weaken the overall health. A few identifiable signs and symptoms of vitamin overdose are given below:
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Unexplained weight loss
- Weakness in muscles
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Nervousness
If the treatment for vitamin D toxicity in children do not start on time then it can start affecting the functioning of the vital organs of the body like heart, lungs and kidneys. As a result, children may develop heart disease, lung problems and renal failure.
How to Treat Vitamin D Overdose When children are taking vitamin D supplements and show up one or more of the vitamin D overdose symptoms
mentioned in the previous section, then they should be taken to the doctor. The condition is diagnosed with the help of blood test and urine test. The vitamin D supplement is stopped immediately. Even the calcium intake of the child is minimized. Doctors often recommend a low calcium diet in this condition which should be continued for several weeks. If the level of vitamin D is too high corticosteroids may have to be administered to reduce it. In serious cases, when there are signs of dehydration observed, patients are hospitalized and intravenous fluid is administered.
Finally, I would like to clear one thing that over exposure to direct sunlight also does not cause vitamin D overdose in children. This is because when the body prepares its own vitamin D from sunlight, its production stops naturally once the body has enough vitamin D. On the other hand, when vitamin D enters the body from a supplemental source, the body cannot stop absorption of the vitamin.
