A recurring theme that is always current are the possible nutritional deficits in children. Although it is true that in developed countries it is very difficult for them to occurIt is also true that it is necessary for the child to receive a varied diet to fulfill this premise.
The problem is that sometimes it is difficult to make a varied diet in a child, especially the youngest ones, who can refuse many of the foods offered.
This is a transitory stage but sometimes it can become a serious problem if you do not have enough time and patience to save that child's rejection of certain foods.
The best way to reduce this risk is to Always check the child's diet with the pediatrician and "play" with the preparation of the dishes, so that the professional can certify the sufficient variety and nutritional quality of the food and the child associate eating with something fun. Even so, it is very common for many parents to have doubts about possible deficits in this age range, one of the most consulted being that of a possible vitamin deficit.
In other areas, the problem is that access to foods containing these vitamins is limited or difficult.
Vitamin C is one of the best known, since in addition to being present in very popular foods and relatively simple to consume, their deficit produces very characteristic pictures, which should not be seen in places where access to fresh food is relatively simple.
This post discusses the main aspects related to vitamin C deficiency, such as the causes, the symptoms it produces and its treatment.
Why vitamin C deficiency occurs
Vitamin C deficit is a difficult picture to see today in developed countries. This vitamin is present in foods such as vegetables and fruits, predominantly in citrus, kiwi or pineapple.
Therefore, it should not be an easy picture to see in countries that, even if they are developing or have problems accessing more expensive foods such as meat, they do have better access to fruits and vegetables.
The cases in which a picture of vitamin C deficiency could be seen are those in which breastfeeding is prolonged as an exclusive form of feeding (Although this is rare since it should be prolonged for a long time). And of course the little varied diets (low in fruits and vegetables), which is sometimes seen in young children who are allowed to be selective with food for a long time.
Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency
If you have a real vitamin C deficit, the child can present the familiar scurvy picture, which begins in a very non-specific way (fever, muscle aches) and ends with the characteristic inflammation of the gums and muscle paralysis, which are not real, but a consequence of intense muscle pain, which causes the child to not mobilize the affected limb .
Other symptoms are pictures of anemia, dry skin or eyes, bleeding and muscle weakness.
Vitamin C deficit treatment
Both diagnosis and treatment must be always directed by the pediatrician. For this it is essential to be honest when referring to the dietary habits of the child, since the ideal would always be to prevent this condition, and not to diagnose it when it occurs.
Treatment depends on the degree of vitamin C deficiency and of course the symptoms. Sometimes it is enough to enrich the diet with fruits and vegetables, while at other times the pediatrician can schedule preparations with additional vitamin C.
In severe cases children may require close follow-up and even hospitalization, if the deficit is not isolated and the symptoms are severe.
However and despite all this it is important to emphasize that, in time, the forecast is very good, so you should always consult with the pediatrician any minimum suspicion of a deficit of this vitamin.
