For many mothers, especially new moms, they may not be very familiar with the symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies. Are excessive sweating, restless sleep, and pillow alopecia signs of calcium deficiency in babies? How can mothers preliminarily determine if their baby is calcium deficient? Let's take a look below!
Symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies:
1. Difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep. Night terrors and night crying are signs of calcium deficiency in babies. Newborns who lack calcium often wake up suddenly and cry incessantly at night.
2. Night sweats. The baby's head sweats a lot after falling asleep, and sweating becomes more pronounced after crying.
3. Abnormal behavior. Calcium-deficient babies may have odd temperaments and exhibit irritability, crying, restlessness, and other behaviors that are difficult to manage.
4. Late teething, irregular teeth alignment. Some babies may not have teeth at 1.5 years old, or their teeth may be poorly developed, misaligned, loose, or prematurely falling out.
5. Pillow alopecia. Sweating is common in calcium-deficient babies, and the hair on the back of the head is often worn off, resulting in pillow alopecia. Pillow alopecia can indicate a calcium deficiency to some extent, but it is not always the case.
6. Delayed closure of the anterior fontanelle. The anterior fontanelle usually closes at 1-1.5 years old, but calcium-deficient babies often do not close it even after 1.5 years old, resulting in square-headedness.
7. Slow growth, delayed walking, and skeletal deformities. Most calcium-deficient children start walking around 1 year old, or they may have "X" or "O" legs due to weak bones, muscle weakness, and leg pain.
8. Muscle and tendon laxity. Severe calcium deficiency can cause laxity in the abdominal wall muscles, leading to relaxed intestinal muscles and bloating. If the tendons in the spine are lax, it can lead to hunchback, pigeon chest, and sternum pain.
9. Beaded rib cartilage growth. In newborns with calcium deficiency, the cartilage growth of each rib is connected like beads, often compressing the lungs and causing poor ventilation, making them prone to tracheitis and pneumonia.
10. Calcium deficiency can also manifest as poor mental state, loss of appetite, lack of interest in the surrounding environment, seizures, low intelligence, and decreased immune function.
The dangers of calcium deficiency in babies:
Danger of calcium deficiency: Infants are prone to eczema
Babies between 1-6 months old may experience restlessness and develop large patches of redness, papules, and then blisters, erosions, and scabs on their heads, faces, and even their entire bodies, known as "eczema". The main cause of eczema is the child's inherent allergic constitution. When given milk, eggs, and other foods containing artificial proteins after birth, allergies are likely to occur. Scientists also believe that infantile eczema is related to calcium deficiency. Calcium supplementation can effectively alleviate the symptoms of eczema and reduce the suffering of infants and young children.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Recurrent pneumonia in children
Many weak infants often suffer from upper respiratory tract infections and are prone to pneumonia. These children are usually thin and malnourished, and may also experience excessive sweating, irritability, and restless sleep, which are early signs of rickets associated with calcium deficiency. When there is a lack of calcium in the baby's body, the activity of various enzymes decreases, and the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates is also affected, resulting in delayed development, reduced immune function, and decreased body resistance, making it prone to lung infections.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Children with acute and chronic diarrhea should prevent calcium deficiency
Diarrhea is a common disease in infants and young children, often caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Diarrheal children often experience reduced appetite and food intake, leading to insufficient calcium. Additionally, due to poor intestinal absorption and the loss of calcium from the intestines, timely calcium supplementation is necessary for children with diarrhea.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Late teething is related to calcium deficiency
Some babies may not have teeth until 10 months old, and at the age of 3, they may still have some of their 20 primary teeth not fully erupted. Some children may have teeth, but they are sparse, have large gaps between them, or are misaligned. These conditions are caused by calcium deficiency in infancy or even in the embryonic stage. Baby's primary teeth usually begin to emerge 6 months after birth, fully erupt at 3 years old, and are replaced at 12-13 years old. Therefore, to ensure that your baby has healthy and properly aligned teeth, calcium supplementation should be considered during the teething and tooth replacement stages.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Calcium supplementation is equally important for school-age children
For school-age children (including elementary and middle school students), this is the period when bone development and height growth are at their fastest. 50% of the body's mineral content is stored during this period, making it the time of greatest demand for calcium in a person's life. Adequate daily calcium intake during this period can promote the full development of bones, internal organs, and the brain, which is crucial for increasing height and weight.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Even tall children can experience calcium deficiency
During the period of rapid growth, children's demand for calcium is higher due to their rapid growth. If the intake of calcium is insufficient, it will only be enough to meet the needs of bone elongation, and not enough to support the growth of strong bones. As a result, your child may become thin and slender, seemingly slim but weak. Therefore, children who are growing rapidly and have a tall stature need to supplement sufficient calcium to meet the dual needs of bone elongation and thickening.
Danger of calcium deficiency: Growing pains are related to calcium deficiency
Growing pains are common in children around the age of 10 and are primarily characterized by joint pain. This is caused by the child being in a period of rapid growth, where the growth rate exceeds the supply of calcium, resulting in deficiency. Therefore, reasonable calcium supplementation is necessary for children with rapid growth or during the peak of growth.
What is the best way to supplement calcium for babies?
1. Milk is the best source of calcium for children, as cow's milk, goat's milk, and breast milk are all rich in calcium.
2. Leafy green vegetables are high in calcium, such as Chinese kale, amaranth, water spinach, Chinese cabbage, and broccoli.
3. Soy products are also rich in calcium, such as soybeans, tofu, and tofu skin.
4. Eggs, fish and shrimp, animal bones, dried shrimp, kelp, seaweed, and wood ear mushrooms are all rich in calcium.
