Question
When should children start taking calcium supplements? What symptoms can indicate a child is deficient in calcium? Besides calcium supplementation, what other nutrients should this stage of children consume?
Answer
If a baby has insufficient sunlight exposure or is on artificial feeding after birth, it is recommended to start supplementing with calcium and vitamin D from one month old, continuing until around 2 or 3 years old. After three months, babies can take glucose acid calcium and Icodextrin to supplement vitamin D, preferably on an empty stomach. Mothers who digest calcium, such as Calcicol D, can also increase the calcium content in breast milk, potentially reducing the need for additional calcium supplementation. For babies three months and older, oral glucose acid calcium and Icodextrin can be taken, but care should be taken not to exceed the recommended dosage. Continuing to digest calcium can enhance the calcium content in breast milk. For infants aged 1 to 6 months, in addition to daily food, 200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D should be supplemented daily; for infants aged 7 to 12 months, 300 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D should be supplemented daily.