Vitamin D is essential for healthy bone development, calcium absorption, muscle function, and immune regulation in children.^[1] Its deficiency remains a significant public health concern, particularly in India, where limited sunlight exposure, maternal deficiency, inadequate dietary intake, and insufficient supplementation contribute to a high burden among children. Early identification and appropriate prevention are crucial to reducing the risk of nutritional rickets, impaired bone mineralization, and other deficiency-related complications.^[2] Clinical management focuses on age-appropriate vitamin D supplementation, adequate calcium intake, assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, and monitoring treatment response. Pediatricians should emphasize routine supplementation during infancy, year-round preventive strategies, individualized dosing in older children and adolescents, and timely evaluation of children with clinical symptoms or established risk factors.^[3] Although vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, its relationship with infection severity remains inconclusive. Only 8.8% of infants receive correct supplementation. Greater awareness, parental counselling, and consistent adherence to supplementation recommendations are essential to improving vitamin D status and supporting optimal growth and development in children.
Reference(s):
1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12088298/
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522037686?via%3Dihub
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4928729/