08:16 PM
Thursday 13 October 2022
I wrote – Omnia Qalawun:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem among infants, causing them a range of unpleasant symptoms, and if left untreated, it may threaten them with serious complications.
In the following report, “Consulto” reviews the causes, symptoms, and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The importance of vitamin B12 for babies
Vitamin B12 is of great importance for the health of newborns, because it helps in brain development, and it also cooperates with iron in the production of red blood cells.
Read also: Vitamin B12 deficiency – how does it affect the fetus during pregnancy?
Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants
In the first months after birth, the infant gets its nutrition from breastfeeding. If the mother’s milk lacks one of the nutrients, this will lead to a deficiency in his body.
The same applies to vitamin B12, where the mother’s lack of interest in eating foods rich in it or completely avoiding it to follow a vegetarian diet leads to a decrease in its levels in her body, which also causes a deficiency in breast milk.
Moreover, the mother’s vitamin B12 deficiency may not be related to her diet, but rather results from other reasons, most notably:
Performing a bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass.
Pernicious anemia.
Intestinal disorders that cause malabsorption.
You may be interested in: Despite its benefits.. 8 annoying symptoms of increased levels of vitamin B12 in the body
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants
A study published on the National Institutes of Health (NHI) website showed that symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants include:
Lack of appetite.
– Weight loss.
Tongue inflammation.
Skin inflammation.
– Nervousness.
Delayed growth.
Complications of Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants
Vitamin B12 deficiency threatens infants with serious complications, such as pernicious anemia and brain damage.
Tips to protect babies from vitamin B12 deficiency
To prevent infants from vitamin B12 deficiency, the mother should follow some guidelines, the most important of which are:
Attention to eating natural sources of vitamin B12, such as meat, fish, dairy products and eggs, for more foods, click over here.
If the mother is a vegetarian or suffers from malabsorption, she should take a vitamin B12 supplement under the supervision of a doctor.