Deficiency of vitamin C and its dangers to small children and infants

Deficiency of vitamin C and its dangers

  

  The quantity of vitamin C needed by children is directly related to their age. The child is smaller, the need for vitamin C is higher.

  Vitamin C appears under the names of ascorbic acid or hexuronic acid and is found in three forms: enol, keto or dehydroascorbic.

The properties of vitamin C

-it is known as vitamin for effort,

-has anti-stress effects,

-helps secure iron,

-it has anti-infective action via stimulation of phagocytosis,

-has antitoxic action, combating the effect of toxic metals such as lead body, excess iron, copper, mercury, arsenic, aluminum, or microbial toxins of drugs,

-inactivates carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide,

-it has strong anticancer effects,

-protects bones, joints and cartilage,

-helps in treating schizophrenia,

-helps lower cholesterol.

Natural sources of vitamin C

-oranges, lemons,
-parsley,
-berries
-rosehip, blueberries,
-kiwi,
-pepper,
-cabbage.

Deficiency of vitamin C and its dangers

  Lack of vitamin C in children occurs due to an exogenous insufficient intake of food or because of conditions that cause a disorder of its absorption by the body of the child.

  If the infant requires a daily intake of 5-6 mg per kg body weight of vitamin C daily and, if school child optimal intake of vitamin C is 2-3 mg per kg body weight. A separate category are premature babies, who need a higher amount of vitamin C than babies born at term. 

  Another situation where you have to supplement intake of vitamin C is when the child's body is fighting an infection, or if the baby is fed exclusively with milk powder or milk cow.

  In fever, colds or prolonged diarrhea and liver damage or disease affecting the absorption of vitamin C, supplementation of this vitamin is recommended.

Symptoms of vitamin C lack of body

The first symptom that is often ignored is the appearance of anorexia, lack of appetite. This first symptom is closely followed by digestive disorders, feelings of irritability and standing weight of the child.

 Secondary these symptoms, gingival bleeding occurs that appears around the teeth that are in full eruption, bleeding spontaneously at the slightest touch.

 In a more advanced Hypovitaminosis, we see that baby or small child is, besides anorexic and agitated and feverish, with the emergence of digestive or respiratory impairment.

 Most often, deficiency of vitamin C entails a folic acid deficiency, causing anemia. 

 The skin is observed in advanced stages of Hypovitaminosis, with follicular hyperkeratosis.