Even with sun returning, kids may need more vitamin D

By Rose Egge Published: Mar 18, 2013 at 12:10 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM PDT

While parents may assume their kids will soak up enough vitamin D as we move into the sunnier months of the year, a local doctor says some children still need to take a vitamin D supplement to ensure healthy development.

Vitamin D helps the body regulate calcium levels so it can develop and maintain healthy bones, explains Dr. Ari Gilmore, a family doctor at Pacific Medical Centers. Children who don’t get enough vitamin D can develop Rickets – a softening of bones, potentially leading to fractures or deformities.

“For kids vitamin D is really essential to building strong bones,” Gilmore says.

Vitamin D also improves muscle recovery and can prevent soreness and aching. And in recent years, vitamin D has been linked to memory and other brain functions.

We get vitamin D from foods like salmon, eggs, fortified milk or chanterelle mushrooms, as well as from sun exposure.

That’s why Gilmore says vitamin D is one of many reasons, including the development of vision and motor skills, it is important for kids to spend time playing outdoors.

“One to two hours of outdoor play daily for kids is something we should all strive for,” he says.

Gilmore says just 30 minutes in the sun can provide a person with their daily dose of vitamin D. But, that can be difficult during Seattle’s many cloudy days.

Even when it is sunny, Gilmore says kids who are wearing sunscreen will not absorb the UV rays necessary to develop the vitamin. Even SPF 15 will prevent vitamin D production.

Gilmore recommends kids take a vitamin D supplement to ensure they don’t develop a vitamin deficiency. He says the source of the vitamin does not matter, as long as you get your daily recommended dose. An average portion of salmon works just as well as over-the-counter tablets.

Gilmore says children with darker complexions are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency because their skin tone also blocks the absorption of UV rays and says these kids should take a vitamin D supplement year-round. Children with lighter skin should take it between Halloween and spring break.

Even adults – especially those who work graveyard shifts and see the sun less often – should consider taking a vitamin D supplement to avoid weak bones or aching muscles, Gilmore says.

11 comments

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growlerxrunner

Keep kids and parents away from video games and constant television, garbage outlets like McDonald's and eat real food like back when I was young before fast garbage food outlets were available. Â

The WA Mama

Send the kids outside!Â In fact, its good for the parents to be outside too!

Takamine

@The WA Mama We can't do THAT! It would pry the kids away from the video games and sugary snacks, and eliminate the ability of "doctors" to promote pumping supplements and medications into our children. I remember when I was a kid, it would have taken an act of God to keep us IN the house. We even played in the rain for crying out loud.

@TakamineÂ @The WA Mama I remember when I grew up there was no TV in the area, and it came, I ignored it summer and winter and this was in Wyoming on a ranch.Â I do not have a TV even today.Â Nothing on but commercials and mindless idiotic chatter from the "news channels" and unreality shows.Â Vitamin D supplements for children, how did our species ever survive without them?

Opus8no5

Keep it simple. Â Your family doctor can take labs to check for any deficiency; vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, potassium, iron, etc. Â If there is a vitamin D deficiency, you doctor will suggest how much supplement is needed. Â Just an extra glass of milk a day might be enough, so don't rush to give kids 1000, 2000 or 5000 units of supplement when 400 units might be plenty. Â

@Opus8no5 And it's better to get your vitamins through healthy foods than manufactured pills anyhow.

Mr. H

Lets see, we have one group of doctors telling us to wear sunscreen, because of the damaging UV rays... and another group telling us that we shouldn't wear sunscreen because it will prevent absorption of the UV rays we need for vitamin D production... Hmmm...Â Sounds to me like they need to quit telling us what is good for us, and let us make up our own minds.. but, doctors have to get their opinions published, so they can be important...Â

therunner

Only darker skinned people need to worry about vitamin D, and only then if they never go outside. Someone as pale as me gets all they need from a few minutes of overcast skies. This is just more irresponsible medical scare tactics.