Children's calcium supplementation
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
In the golden stage of children's growth, if your child is restless, picky, and has symptoms of "O-type leg", then your child probably lacks calcium.
Some children, due to congenital deficiency, take very little calcium from breast milk, resulting in a calcium deficiency.
To ensure their children have a healthy physique, parents must make sure to supplement their children with calcium.
In daily life, how should children be supplemented with calcium? What should we pay attention to when taking calcium supplements? Today, the Ma Family Encyclopedia will discuss these matters.
Calcium supplementation for children: With the improvement of living standards, it is widely believed that the calcium intake of children can meet their body development needs. However, many children still suffer from severe calcium deficiency.
Next, let's delve into what happens when children are deficient in calcium.
The effects of calcium deficiency in children are mainly reflected in two aspects: physical development and intellectual development.
Calcium deficiency can have significant impacts on physical development, primarily affecting the skeleton. "O" and "X" shaped legs in infants that are not addressed during this period could persist throughout a child's life.
If there is a large amount of calcium deficiency, it will have a great impact on children's future height.
We all know that calcium is an important element for the composition of bone.
Additionally, calcium deficiency is also an indispensable factor that impacts children's intelligence.
Calcium plays a direct role in the transmission of nerve impulses.
Calcium deficiency directly leads to intellectual developmental delays, or even intellectual disabilities in babies.
Many mothers still harbor the mistaken belief that their children do not need calcium supplementation, as a result of an inaccurate understanding of the importance of nutritional element supplementation. This leads to certain differences in the physical development of their children compared to other children.
Regardless of the reasons, we must pay attention to children's calcium supplementation issues and not improperly supplement them. However, we should also avoid leaving our children in a state of calcium deficiency.
Understand the importance of calcium supplementation thoroughly and change your previous stubborn attitude.
Calcium is the source of life, and human growth and development are all dependent on calcium. In fact, the process of bone calcium accumulation begins in childhood, and it is crucial to pay attention to calcium absorption during this period to ensure good health. There are many ways to supplement calcium intake, and for children, the best method is to develop a good dietary habit. The calcium found in food is also abundant. However, due to some children's pickiness, calcium deficiency may occur.
What are the foods that provide calcium for children? Let's delve into it together with Mama Net.
Milk Nutritional Analysis: Milk is rich in nutrients and is the best source of calcium for the human body. Moreover, the calcium-phosphorus ratio in milk is very appropriate, benefiting the absorption of calcium.
Therefore, milk is called the most "near-perfect food" and the most ideal natural food.
Nutritional analysis of yogurt: Yogurt is also a good source of calcium. Drinking a cup of 15Og yogurt can meet 1/3 of the calcium needed by children under the age of 10 and 15 of the calcium needed by adults.
Cheese nutrition analysis: milk products are the best choice for calcium supplementation. Cheese is the milk product with the highest amount of calcium, and these calcium are easily absorbed.
Calcium content of cheese is: 250ml milk = 200ml yogurt = 40g cheese.
Calcium in Orange Juice: Oranges are known as "healing fruits" and are rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, etc. An 8-ounce (about 226g) orange juice contains 300mg of calcium, which is equivalent to the amount of calcium found in a cup of milk.
Cheese nutrition analysis: Cheese is a kind of food made from milk, which has high nutritional value.
Cheese contains a large amount of calcium and phosphorus. These are the main ingredients for forming bones and teeth.
Nutritional Analysis of Legumes: The nutritional value of legumes is very high. Most legumes contain a considerable amount of calcium.
However, Mommy must always remember that infants can only drink soy milk after the age of one. Ensure they do not consume too much at once to prevent protein allergies.
Nutritional analysis of dark green leafy vegetables: Baby should eat more different green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale leaves, turnip greens and mustard greens.
Try canned, fresh, frozen, etc. and add butter to taste.
Nutritional analysis of kelp: Kelp is a vegetable with high nutritional value. It is not only rich in calcium and iodine, but also contributes to the synthesis of thyroxine.
In addition, kelp also contains high-quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids.
Nutritional analysis of shrimp skin: Shrimp skin is rich in protein and minerals, especially the calcium content is extremely rich. It is known as the "calcium store" and is a better way to replenish calcium for people with calcium deficiency. Use shrimp skin to make supplements for your baby. Food is a good way to replenish calcium.
The best time to replenish calcium for children. Many parents will think about supplementing calcium for their children after they understand the importance of calcium to their children's growth and development. However, calcium supplementation is also a technology. If children do not have calcium deficiency now, it is really inappropriate to supplement calcium, and the timing of calcium supplementation is also very particular.
So when is the best time to replenish calcium for children? Let's come to teach everyone some popular knowledge in this area.
The best time to replenish calcium is before going to bed every day.
In a day's three meals, the human body can intake 300mg - 400mg or more of calcium from food. When the body excretes it through the urine, blood can always be replenished from the food to maintain blood calcium level.
At night, the body doesn't eat but urine is still formed and a part of blood calcium continues to move into it. In order to maintain normal blood calcium levels, the body has to draw on its store of calcium in bones.
This result of the body's self-regulation results in most of the calcium in the urine each morning coming from bone.
On the other hand, the amount of various hormones that regulate blood calcium levels varies between day and night. Thus, blood calcium level generally is lower at night than during the day.
Low blood calcium levels at night can also stimulate parathyroid hormone secretion, causing faster bone calcium breakdown.
Calcium supplementation before bedtime can provide calcium for the nightly regulation of calcium, blocking the utilization of bone calcium by the body. Moreover, calcium has a calming effect and can help with sleep.
Therefore, drinking milk or other calcium-rich foods and taking medications before bedtime are the optimal times for calcium intake throughout the day.
Additionally, if your child is in the following situation, you should consider supplementing them with calcium for their growth: 1. Infants under two years old: Due to limited outdoor activities and shorter exposure to sunlight, vitamin D production is restricted, which can hinder calcium absorption and lead to rickets. Therefore, infants under two years old should pay attention to calcium and vitamin D supplementation to promote healthy growth.
2. Premature infants, twins, and children who grow rapidly or are born in winter: these children are more susceptible to calcium deficiency than others and should be vigilant about prevention in advance.
3. During the period when teeth erupt and are being replaced: It is important for children during the tooth-eruption and replacement stage to pay attention to calcium intake, which is conducive to healthy tooth growth. This helps prevent delayed tooth eruption, sparse teeth, uneven spacing, and dental caries.
4. During the Growth Height Period: Children during their growth height period experience rapid height increases, and there is an increased demand for calcium in their bones. Supplementing with calcium not only allows children to grow taller but also strengthens them, preventing them from becoming frail and weak like "bean sprouts".
Children's calcium supplementation is a critical aspect of their health. However, it is not necessary for every child to take calcium supplements. The purpose of calcium supplementation is to promote the child's well-being; yet, failing to consider the precautions involved in calcium supplementation can lead to unnecessary blind supplementation. As wise parents, it is essential to understand the important considerations when administering calcium supplements to children.
【High calcium intake can affect the absorption of other trace elements】Infants and adolescents, who grow their skeletons fastest and store the most calcium, need a sufficient amount of calcium. However, excessive supplementation with calcium and vitamin D, repeated supplementation, and large-dosage administration of vitamins are not scientific. These practices not only affect children's appetite but also may lead to anorexia, constipation, bloating, and even the risk of developing stones.
At the same time, high calcium intake can also affect the absorption of iron, zinc, and magnesium. For children with anemia and zinc deficiency, the impact is even greater.
【Not every child needs to take calcium supplements】 Infants up to four months old can meet their calcium requirements with breast milk. Experts remind us that, generally speaking, breast milk alone can completely satisfy a baby's physiological needs for calcium during these early months. By the time a child reaches five or six months, it is appropriate to introduce complementary foods rich in calcium, such as dairy products and soy products.
For infants under 1 year old, consuming 800 milliliters of milk daily is sufficient to provide the necessary calcium for growth. For infants who are not breastfed but consume milk, it is recommended to take calcium supplements under the guidance of a doctor for appropriate supplementation.
According to experts in child bone health, although adolescents during adolescence require more calcium than infants and preschoolers, simply increasing calcium intake is not sufficient to significantly improve height. A balanced diet and reasonable exercise are the most effective ways to ensure the skeletal health of children.
In the comfortable autumn, for children who are not obviously calcium deficient, it is advisable to supplement their diets with soy products, dairy products, and fish. Additionally, it is recommended that children engage in outdoor activities and enjoy the natural sunlight, which plays a crucial role in enhancing the absorption of calcium within the body. Sunlight and outdoor sports are the best natural sources of calcium.
[Reducing the Impact of Food Factors on Calcium Absorption] Due to the presence of many factors in food that affect calcium absorption and bioavailability, such as high dietary salt content or large amounts of protein, calcium can easily be lost through urine, affecting the effectiveness of calcium supplementation.
Leafy greens, rapeseed and the bran of grains contain a lot of oxalates or phytic acid, which also affects the absorption of calcium in food.
Appropriate protein, dietary vitamin D, acidic amino acids, and low phosphorus diets can all enhance calcium absorption, thereby positively impacting calcium supplementation for infants.
The medical information provided in this text is for reference only.
In case of discomfort, it is advised to seek medical attention immediately for accurate diagnosis and treatment.