Question
Hello! My child, who is two months old, has been showing symptoms of decreased appetite, insufficient sleep, and hair loss at the nape of the neck. Could these be signs of calcium deficiency? How should I choose the appropriate calcium supplement? Thank you for your guidance.
Answer
Calcium deficiency can indeed lead to the aforementioned symptoms. It is recommended to undergo a blood test to assist in diagnosis. Children in the growth phase have a higher calcium requirement than adults, so it is important to supplement calcium promptly to prevent deficiency. When supplementing calcium correctly, the following points should be considered: (1) Whether there is a calcium deficiency should be determined by a doctor’s diagnosis, not by self-assessment. (2) Healthy children with normal diets and balanced meals usually do not need additional calcium supplements. (3) Infants with calcium deficiency may show obvious symptoms within the first two months after birth, such as crying at night, excessive sweating, decreased appetite, prone to respiratory infections, anemia, and hair loss at the nape of the neck. In severe cases, they may even experience tetany. At this time, calcium treatment should be administered. (4) When using calcium supplements, they should be taken with vitamin D-containing medications, such as cod liver oil, as these drugs help promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, reduce urinary phosphorus excretion, and increase the blood concentration of citrate. Citrate combines with calcium to form high-concentration complexes.