Question
Lately, my child has been very restless during naps, waking up shortly after falling asleep, regardless of day or night. They kick off the blanket, sweat, cry out for Mommy, and complain about leg pain. They are already 1 and a half years old but have only grown two pairs of upper teeth and three lower teeth, with a prominent forehead. How should one appropriately supplement calcium? How can it be safely absorbed?
Answer
Children grow and develop rapidly, especially their bones, which require a significant amount of calcium. For infants, the primary source of calcium should not be calcium powder but rather foods rich in calcium. Breast milk and colostrum are both rich in calcium, with 50 milligrams in 100 milliliters of colostrum and 30 milligrams in breast milk. Moreover, calcium in milk is easily absorbed by infants, so when supplementing with calcium through breastfeeding, it also increases the intake of protein in milk, making milk the best calcium supplement for infants. To ensure that calcium is fully absorbed and utilized by the child, it is recommended to engage them in outdoor activities more often, allowing their skin to be exposed to sunlight. This generates endogenous vitamin D, which promotes the body’s absorption and utilization of calcium.