When is the best time for children to supplement calcium?

Infancy is the time when children grow, especially their bone development is at a critical period. If children are calcium deficient, it will affect their bone development, so calcium supplementation must be carried out in time. From the perspective of calcium supplementation, many foods in our daily diet contain good calcium, so we should eat more foods that help supplement calcium. Of course, if the calcium deficiency is very serious, you can take medication in time. For children, the best time to supplement calcium is when they are deficient in calcium and when some early symptoms appear. Timely calcium supplementation at this time can avoid causing greater harm to the child's growth and development.

The best time to supplement calcium

Calcium is one of the important minerals required for the growth of various human functions, especially for babies. Babies grow and develop quickly, and calcium plays a more important role. If the baby is calcium deficient, it will affect the baby's physical development, and in severe cases it will cause rickets, bow legs, etc. So when is the best time for babies to supplement calcium? Mainly from these two aspects:

1. According to the baby's growth and development, the best time to supplement calcium for babies is when the baby shows early symptoms of calcium deficiency, such as night sweats, night terrors, night crying, pillow rubbing, pillow baldness, etc., or when the baby has signs of developmental delay, such as the baby cannot lift his head after 2 months, cannot turn over after 4 months, cannot sit steadily at half a year old, cannot crawl at 7 or 8 months, cannot stand or walk when he is almost one year old, etc. These symptoms indicate that the baby is calcium deficient, and this is the best time to supplement calcium.

2. According to the season, the best time for babies to supplement calcium is in summer. The temperature is high in summer, and babies can get more sun exposure outdoors. Ultraviolet rays shining on exposed skin can synthesize vitamin D in the body and promote calcium absorption. Therefore, calcium supplementation in summer will achieve twice the result with half the effort.

When should babies start taking calcium supplements?

Babies grow very fast, so their calcium needs are relatively high, but the daily dietary calcium intake of Chinese residents often does not meet the recommended intake standards. When should babies start taking calcium supplements? According to the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society, babies should be supplemented with adequate calcium starting from 2 weeks after birth, and the calcium supplementation process should continue until the baby is about 2 years old.

Usually, the main source of calcium for babies within 6 months is breast milk or formula milk. If the amount of milk reaches more than 400ml, the calcium needs can be basically met and no additional calcium supplement is needed. Babies over 2 years old may have insufficient calcium intake as their dietary intake becomes more diversified and the proportion of milk intake decreases, so it is necessary to make reasonable arrangements and adjustments to the baby's daily diet.