Question
Can a 5-month-old baby take calcium acetate tablets when having diarrhea?
Answer
Flat head is one of the symptoms of rickets. Based on your description, the baby is five months old and has been experiencing diarrhea repeatedly. The doctor has diagnosed a calcium deficiency along with the flat head symptoms. The calcium deficiency may be due to malabsorption and the loss of calcium caused by long-term diarrhea. It is recommended to first heal the diarrhea problem, which can be helped by giving probiotics and attapulgite powder to stop diarrhea, but attapulgite powder should be avoided when used with other medications. For calcium supplementation, you can give oral calcium gluconate, and also provide Icodextrin (containing vitamins A and D) daily to promote calcium absorption. Additionally, the baby needs appropriate sun exposure, which helps with calcium absorption.