Does my child need Vitamin D?

Kids play outside a lot and drink plenty of milk - so they’re definitely getting enough Vitamin D, right? Actually, not necessarily.

In fact, the majority of the population shows signs of vitamin D deficiency even in sunny climates! Vitamin D is super important for the regulation of calcium & phosphate and is needed to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

The AAP recommends that babies younger than 1 year receive 400 IU of liquid vitamin D a day starting soon after birth if you’re breastfeeding. 

• You should continue supplementing with vitamin D until you either wean your baby off breastmilk, or, after 12 months of age, switch whole cow’s milk.

• If your baby is drinking formula (all of which are fortified with adequate vitamin D) you don’t need to supplement.

• If you are doing a combination of breastmilk and formula, talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplementation but most of the time it is not necessary to supplement.

• Children 1 to 18 years of age should receive 600 IU of vitamin D a day. For older kids chewable vitamins are a yummy option!

Above all though, focus on ensuring your kids eat a healthy & balanced diet! Vitamin D is found naturally in food such as salmon, eggs or mushrooms. But if you have a picky eater on your hands, you can always look for foods fortified with vitamin D such as milk, cereal, orange juice, or yogurt!

If you are looking for a vitamin D supplement for your baby, check out our Amazon Storefront for options.

P.S. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen regularly when outside! It is strongly recommended that kids are kept out of the direct sun as much as possible to avoid long-term sun exposure, because skin cancer can be a real risk down the line. 

Your PediPals