What are the consequences of calcium deficiency in newborns?

The consequences of calcium deficiency in newborns are relatively serious, especially severe calcium deficiency, which can easily cause newborns to suffer from rickets, late teeth eruption, uneven teeth, anorexia and picky eating, all of which are not conducive to the child's healthy growth.

1. Rickets

"Nutritional deficiency rickets" is commonly known as "osteomalacia". When the baby's calcium intake is insufficient or the intestinal absorption of calcium is reduced, calcium deficiency in the body directly affects the deposition of calcium in the bones. If calcium in the body cannot be deposited in bones normally, it will lead to osteomalacia. The skull grows rapidly during infancy. One of the earliest symptoms of calcium deficiency is insufficient calcification of the skull, which leads to rickets and softening of the skull (often manifested as an open fontanelle). Osteomalacia can also make it difficult for babies to bear their body weight when standing, causing their lower limbs to bend, resulting in "X"-shaped legs, "O"-shaped legs, etc.

2. Late or uneven tooth eruption

Calcium deficiency will manifest as late teething in babies around one year old, and even after teeth grow, calcium deficiency is not good for the health of the teeth. Calcium is the substance that makes teeth hard. Hard teeth can bite hard food and resist the wear and tear of chewing. If there is a lack of calcium, the hardness of the gums will decrease, making it difficult for the baby to chew hard food. It is also easy for the baby to have uneven teeth, misaligned upper and lower teeth, malocclusion, loose teeth, easy breakage, and premature tooth loss during the development of the baby's teeth.

3. Convulsions

If the calcium and phosphorus content in the baby's blood is significantly low, he will suffer from "rickets-induced hypocalcemic convulsions", also known as vitamin D deficiency tetany, commonly known as "hypocalcemic convulsions". This is because the important role of calcium in the blood is to inhibit muscle excitability and prevent excessive contraction. When the calcium level in the baby's blood decreases, the inhibitory effect weakens, the muscle excitability will immediately increase, and the person will experience involuntary contractions, that is, cramps.

4. Abdominal pain

When the free calcium ion content in the baby's blood is low, the neuromuscular excitability increases, and the smooth muscles of the intestinal wall will undergo strong contraction when slightly stimulated, which is called intestinal spasm, resulting in digestive tract symptoms such as abdominal pain.

5. Anorexia and picky eating

Some babies don’t like to eat after entering early childhood, which gives parents a headache. In fact, many cases of anorexia and picky eating are caused by calcium deficiency. Because calcium can control the penetration of various nutrients through cell membranes, it can also control the baby's ability to absorb nutrients. There is a lot of calcium in the human digestive juice. If the calcium intake is insufficient, it will easily lead to symptoms such as loss of appetite, mental retardation, and decreased immune function in the baby.