Contents
What is hypervitaminosis
Hypervitaminosis is a pathological condition caused by an excess of vitamins (most often A, B, C and D). Accumulation of one or another vitamin in the child’s body leads to poisoning and intoxication, disruption of organs and systems. For example, vitamin A (retinol) has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, vision, but its excess is not completely excreted in the urine and negatively affects the functioning of the child’s liver. Vitamin D is very important as a prevention of rickets in a child, but with hypervitaminosis, the level of calcium in the blood rises, which is then deposited in the internal organs, disrupting their work.
Causes of hypervitaminosis in children
Most often, hypervitaminosis in children occurs because parents incorrectly follow the dosage of vitamins prescribed by the attending physician, or they themselves prescribe the drug to the child, not caring about its dosage or compatibility with other vitamins and microelements. Of course, you can’t do without vitamins, but their excess is sometimes much more dangerous than a lack. Sometimes hypervitaminosis can result from eating too many foods (for example, fish oil, carrots, exotic delicacies like polar bear liver or whales contain huge amounts of vitamin A), but it’s hard to imagine a child eating so many carrots or fish oil to he developed hypervitaminosis. Basically, vitamin poisoning occurs due to:
- Uncontrolled intake of vitamins without consulting a doctor;
- Individual intolerance to vitamins in a child;
- Hypersensitivity to certain vitamins (sometimes occurs with malnutrition or stress).
Signs of hypervitaminosis in children
Signs of hypervitaminosis directly depend on the excess of which vitamin is in the child’s body. For example, when hypervitaminosis A the child has severe peeling of the skin and hair loss. The baby may be overly active (or, on the contrary, lethargic and drowsy) or complain of pain in the arms and legs. Often the temperature rises, diarrhea and vomiting, headache, itching and dizziness occur. With prolonged and significant accumulation of vitamin A in the child’s body, the skin (including the palms) becomes icteric, the bones of the limbs thicken, appetite disappears and insomnia appears.
Hypervitaminosis B manifests itself in the form of a rash on the child’s body, nausea and vomiting, headaches, decreased vision. The work of the liver and kidneys is disturbed, a feeling of numbness appears in the arms and legs, pressure and pulse rate begin to “jump”.
RџSЂRё hypervitaminosis C the child often complains of dizziness and headaches, insomnia, and parents note anxiety and tearfulness. An excess of vitamin C adversely affects the work of the heart and gastrointestinal tract in a child. If hypervitaminosis is not treated, its condition will only worsen.
Hypervitaminosis D in acute form it is manifested by lack of appetite, vomiting and nausea, diarrhea (sometimes alternating with constipation). The child is constantly thirsty, complains of poor health and weakness. In the chronic form of hypervitaminosis, the kidneys are affected, blood pressure rises, the liver and spleen increase in size, immunity decreases – the child often catches a cold and picks up infections.
Treatment of hypervitaminosis in children
Treatment of hypervitaminosis in children should always be under the supervision of a specialist. Therefore, if you suspect that something is wrong with the child, in no case do not self-medicate, but make an appointment with the doctor.
Diagnostics
At the appointment, the doctor will definitely examine the little patient, collect an anamnesis, ask the parents how long the first complaints appeared, whether the baby took vitamins and in what quantity, clarify the child’s diet, and also prescribe the necessary tests (general and biochemical blood tests, urinalysis), to understand – an excess of which vitamin is observed in the body, and the work of which organs and systems has already been disrupted. Also, the doctor will definitely assess the condition of the skin and mucous membranes of the child, check the heartbeat and measure blood pressure. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe a consultation with an endocrinologist, nephrologist and dermatologist, as well as ultrasound and ECG to check the functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal system.
– To confirm hypervitaminosis, the concentration of the substance of interest in the blood serum is determined. The doctor may prescribe the Sulkovich test, which shows a positive result when there is an excess of vitamin D in the body. Pay attention to the biochemical parameters of blood and urine. Hypervitaminosis D in children during diagnosis is differentiated from hypercalcemic conditions, explains pediatrician Dilshod Ruziev.
Modern treatments
After the doctor has found out which vitamin (or group of vitamins) caused the malfunction in the body, treatment is determined. Medications are prescribed to quickly bind and remove excess substances and toxins from the child’s body, as well as to restore water balance and the ratio of nutrients. If the organs and systems of vital activity are seriously affected, hospitalization and detoxification therapy are indicated. The doctor will carefully monitor the child’s condition and, if necessary, correct the course of treatment.
Clinical guidelines for hypervitaminosis in children
– There are clinical recommendations regarding the nutrition of a child with each form of hypervitaminosis. For example, with hypervitaminosis D, foods that contain a lot of calcium, such as cottage cheese, whole milk, should be excluded from the diet. Even cereals are best cooked in water or vegetable broth. You also need to eat more plant foods, fiber, which bind vitamin D in the intestines and contribute to its removal, the specialist advises.
Prevention of hypervitaminosis in children at home
Hypervitaminosis in children is very easy to prevent at home. The main rule – never prescribe vitamin complexes on your own without first consulting a doctor. Yes, and prescribing vitamins should be only after the doctor makes sure that the patient does not have intolerance or hypersensitivity to a particular vitamin. It is also very important to monitor the child’s diet: the diet should be balanced, include vegetables, herbs, fruits, but it is not necessary to feed the child with foods containing a large amount of one or another vitamin. And most importantly, keep all medicines and vitamins away from children, because many of them are colorful and sweet, and children can take it for a treat.
– Remember a few important points: do not self-medicate, follow the doses recommended by the doctor or prescribed in the instructions, it is forbidden to take vitamins for a long time (more than a month) without the doctor’s consent. If vitamins are prescribed to an infant, carefully monitor his condition, and immediately inform the doctor about unusual symptoms, advises pediatrician Dilshod Ruziev.