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Calcium is a vital mineral for the health of children, known for its ability to promote normal development of teeth and bones. Proper calcium supplementation is also a determining factor in a child's future height. It's certain that both deficiency and excessive calcium supplementation are not good for the child. What parents need to know is at what age calcium supplementation is necessary, how many times in a year, when to stop, and how to supplement?
1. How many times to supplement calcium for your child in a year
Before delving into how many times to supplement calcium in a year, parents should be aware of the stages when a child needs supplementation.
1.1. Stages when your child needs calcium supplementation
Infant Stage
Calcium deficiency in infants can lead to various issues such as slow growth, poor sleep, fussiness, confusion, and disrupted sleep patterns, both physically and mentally. Additionally, many newborns lack calcium because mothers fail to provide sufficient calcium during pregnancy. This period, within the first 1000 golden days of a child's life, is crucial for calcium supplementation to ensure ideal height. This is the time when parents need to answer the question: 'How many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year?'
Stages requiring calcium supplementation for optimal child development
>> SEE MORE: SUPPLEMENTING CALCIUM FOR CHILDREN UNDER 1 YEAR
Development Stage
The early years are considered the golden period that significantly influences a child's height in adulthood. If a child's body doesn't meet its calcium needs, there is a tendency for weakness, malnutrition, weak bones, susceptibility to deformities (hunchback, bowlegs, etc.), delayed tooth growth, etc. In addition to getting calcium from meats, fish, eggs, and milk..., experts advise parents to combine calcium supplementation for their children.
Puberty
A child's puberty is a crucial time for mothers to enhance care and for children to experience breakthroughs in both height and physical development. The height a child achieves during this period depends heavily on the amount of calcium supplemented.
>> SEE MORE: WHICH CALCIUM TYPE IS GOOD FOR PUBERTY TO HELP CHILDREN GROW TALL?
1.2. How many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year is ideal?
Understanding the importance of calcium supplementation for children, the question of how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year may still be a query for many. While providing an adequate supply of this essential mineral is crucial for a child's well-being, it must be done correctly to achieve maximum effectiveness and ensure health and safety.
Regarding the query of how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year, experts have clarified: Children should supplement calcium approximately 2-3 times a year, depending on the calcium needs during each stage of development. There should be intervals of rest between supplementation periods.
1.3. Ceasing Calcium Supplementation for the Child
Apart from understanding how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year, parents should know how long their child should take calcium before stopping. Prolonged calcium supplementation poses the risk of health issues, such as overloading the kidneys and increasing the risk of kidney stones.
Supplementing Calcium in Stages Throughout the Year
Excessive calcium intake can even affect the heartbeat, cause shoulder joint calcification, or arterial calcification. Cases of weakened bones and bone deformities have been observed due to self-prescribed excessive calcium supplementation without following guidelines. Typically, the body may exhibit common symptoms such as frequent urination, nausea, heart issues, or excessive thirst when consuming too much calcium.
Nutrition and health experts suggest that parents should not provide regular calcium intake for children. Supplement calcium for about 4 or 5 weeks, then pause for a few months, depending on the child's calcium needs.
To better understand a child's calcium requirements and the timing for calcium intake, parents can have their child tested for calcium levels and follow the specialist doctor's instructions. If choosing to supplement calcium at home, parents need to understand the child's needs, dosage, preferred products, and administration methods.
In addition to giving the child calcium supplements, during break periods, parents should include calcium-rich foods in their child's diet. This approach prevents sudden calcium deficiency in the body.
2. Proper Calcium Supplementation for Your Child - Expert Recommendations
After obtaining answers to the question of how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year, parents should equip themselves with knowledge on the correct way to supplement calcium for their child.
2.1. Proper Calcium Supplementation According to Expert Guidelines
Depending on the developmental stage, the required amount of calcium for a child varies. The calcium needs also determine how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) publication, the necessary calcium levels based on age are as follows:
Calcium Requirements Chart Based on Age for ChildrenInfants under 6 months: need 300mg of calcium per day
- From 7 – 12 months: children need 400mg of calcium per day
- From 1 – 3 years: children need 500mg of calcium per day
- From 4 – 6 years: children need 600mg of calcium per day
- From 7 – 9 years: children need 700mg of calcium per day
- At 10 years: calcium requirement is 1000mg per day
- From 11 – 24 years: calcium requirement is 1200mg per day
>> SEE MORE: SUPPLEMENTING CALCIUM FOR CHILDREN WITH SLOW TOOTH DEVELOPMENT: NECESSITY AND HOW TO SUPPLEMENT?
2.2. Choosing the Right Type of Calcium for Your Child
Usually, when people buy calcium, they only focus on the brand or simply purchase a calcium supplement product advertised as suitable for children.
In reality, not all types of calcium are equally effective or absorbable. Some inorganic calcium types are often challenging to absorb and not beneficial for a child's health. When using this type of calcium, the body only absorbs a portion, while the rest accumulates in the kidneys and is excreted, resulting in limited calcium absorption despite supplementation.
To address this issue, researchers have introduced products containing organic calcium. This type of calcium is highly digestive-friendly for young children. Moreover, it doesn't cause side effects such as kidney stones or constipation, making it entirely safe for young children.
2.3. Supplementing vitamin D3, vitamin K2 MK7 along with calcium
If only calcium supplements are provided without administering vitamin D3 and vitamin K2MK7 to the child, the body absorbs only about 10% into the bloodstream. Up to 90% of the remaining calcium accumulates in the intestine and kidneys, leading to kidney stones or being excreted from the body.
The trio of calcium, vitamin D3, and MK7 supports strong bones
To fulfill calcium's ultimate purpose of precise integration into bones and teeth, supplementing vitamin D3 and MK7 is crucial. Vitamin D3 maximizes calcium transportation from the intestines to the bloodstream. Following this, Vitamin K2 Mk7 directs the calcium in the blood to the teeth and bones.
If either of these vitamins is deficient, this process cannot be achieved. For instance, having only vitamin D3 allows the body to absorb a maximum of 40% of calcium. Moreover, MK7 has the ability to inhibit bone resorption, preventing bone loss and osteoporosis in the future.
2.4. Must supplement all essential nutrients for the child
Although calcium is crucial for the body, focusing solely on calcium supplementation while neglecting other nutrients exacerbates nutritional deficiencies in the body.
Providing comprehensive nutrients supports the child's holistic development
Calcium alone is not enough for a child to achieve exceptional height; it requires other nutrients like magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, DHA,... Only with a full spectrum of nutrients can the body truly be healthy and undergo comprehensive physical and mental development.
In summary, how many times to supplement calcium for a child in a year? Parents should provide calcium to their child 2 - 3 times a year, with each supplementation lasting about 4 - 5 weeks, and intervals between supplementation periods being 1 - 2 months. Additionally, the daily diet of the child during calcium supplementation or breaks must always include all 4 nutrient groups.
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