Vitamin D Deficiency May Be To Blame For Soft Bones In Baby's Skull

Science Daily ^ | 3-28-2008 | Endocrine Society

[blam]

Vitamin D Deficiency May Be To Blame For Soft Bones In Baby's Skull

ScienceDaily (Mar. 28, 2008) — Softening of the skull bones in normal-looking babies might reflect vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy, according to a new study. Furthermore, breast-feeding without vitamin D supplementation could prolong the deficiency, which might lead to a risk of serious health problems later in life, including type 1 diabetes and decreased bone density.

“Craniotabes, the softening of skull bones, in otherwise normal newborns has largely been regarded as a physiological condition without the need for treatment,” said Dr. Tohru Yorifuji, of Kyoto University Hospital in Japan. “Our findings, however, show that this untreated condition may be the result of a potentially dangerous vitamin D deficiency.”

For this study researchers evaluated 1,120 newborns for incidence of craniotabes, and at 5-7 days of age, 246 neonates (22 percent) were found to have craniotabes. Researchers also found the incidence of craniotabes had obvious seasonal variations. This clear seasonal variation strongly suggests that the condition is associated with prenatal vitamin D deficiency and likely reflects the amount of sun exposure of pregnant women.

Most importantly, vitamin D deficiency in neonates, could persist into later life, especially in breast-fed infants who do not receive a formula containing vitamin D supplementation. In this study, more than half of the breast-fed infants with craniotabes showed statistically significant low levels of serum 25-OH vitamin D, the storage form of vitamin D. Some of those infants also had symptoms of an overactive parathyroid gland consistent with vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency has not received as much attention as it once did, however several recent studies have reported a resurgence of the condition, even in developed countries. Vitamin D deficiency classically presents with skeletal manifestations such as rickets in childhood or the softening of bones in adults. In addition, vitamin D deficiency in adults can also lead to increased incidence of immunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, or even colorectal cancer.

“Until more research is done on the effects of perinatal vitamin D deficiency, we suggest treating breast-fed infants with craniotabes with vitamin D, or preferably, treating all pregnant women with vitamin D,” said Yorifuji.

Other researchers working on the study include Junko Yorifuji, Shizuyo Nagai, Masahiko Kawai, Toru Momoi, and Tatsutoshi Nakahata of Kyoto University Hospital in Japan; Kenji Tachibana and Hiroshi Hatayama of Adachi Hospital in Japan; and Hironori Nagasaka of Chiba Children’s Hospital in Japan.

A rapid release version of this paper has been published on-line and will appear in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a publication of The Endocrine Society.

Adapted from materials provided by Endocrine Society.

[gondramB]

So maybe politicians with rocks in their head should cut back on the vitamin D...

[elc]

Ugh, here comes another push from the medical community to supplement all breast-fed babies with Vitamin D. Actually, most pediatricians push it anyway. I just rolled my eyes behind the doctors back when he told me after 6 months of nursing that I had to start giving my daughter Vit. D.

Here's a great source that addresses which babies might be at risk for Vit. D deficiency.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-d.html#sunlight

From the link:

The best way to get vitamin D, the way that our bodies were designed to get the vast majority of our vitamin D, is from modest sun exposure. Going outside regularly is generally all that is required for you or your baby to generate adequate amounts of vitamin D. (Keep in mind that there is a concern of sunburn and increased risk of skin cancer with too much sun exposure, however.)

[zerosix]

Treating the breastfeeding mothers with Vitamin D-3 (not the kind you purchase in health stores) also with 3,000 EPA Omega oils would help here.

One of the main ways we get all of the Vitamin D we need is through direct sunlight, though most women use sunscreens and prevent this from happening.

There are sunscreens in moisturizers, makeup, etc.

Thirty to 45 minutes direct sunlight each and every day is a preventitive but people have been scared to death about skin cancer (which does indeed kill) but I have been told by my doctor that a vitamin D deficiency will also kill me.

[elc]

Oops. KellyMom

[kcm.org]

thankfully the hacks made Vit D a narcotic to protect the American people and our children from the ravages of being healthy /s

[devere]

Thank you for posting this very interesting article.

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

My wife breastfed both our babies. They were not sick like other children. Amazing God knew what he was doing.

[olivia3boys]

I believe Vitamin D deficiencies in babies are found mostly in northern climates, and in black babies, and in babies who are inside all day.

My pediatrician agreed with me that my white breasfed California babies, who hang out in parks a LOT, did not need Vitamin D supplementation.

There is indeed such a thing as too much sunscreen. But in CA, walking from the car to the grocery store in the parking lot sans sunscreen on the arms is enough time to get enough Vitamin D. Maybe not in other climates.

[Lil'freeper]

A Nutrition Ping List For Those Interested in the Research of Dr. Weston A. Price

Who knew?

< /rhetorical >

[Coleus]

thanks for the ping.... i think folic acid and vitamin d are the new miracle supplements of 21st century. I take 4,000 iu of vitamin d3 daily. It took the msm about 8 years to catch up to the complimentary-medicine doctors for vitamin d and about 45 years for the medical profession and Govt. to catch up on folic acid which was first looked at preventing neural-tube defects back in 1952! It’s now a required supplement in enriched bread.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[Born Conservative]

Ugh, here comes another push from the medical community to supplement all breast-fed babies with Vitamin D.

It's my opinion that it's probably the medical community that had a hand in causing a mother's Vitamin D deficiency, leading to this problem in newborns. After all, look at the push to use sunscreen. The sun is a great source for Vitamin D, yet we're told to block the sun's "harmful" rays. Lots of articles here on Vitamin D: http://tinyurl.com/2wmo87

[Born Conservative]

I think you will start seeing more and more screening for Vitamin D deficiency.

I’m on dialysis, and even though I get the “activated” form of Vitamin D (Zemplar) via my dialysis line, I also take an oral Vitamin D supplement. The new standard is to do a Vitamin D level on all dialysis patients yearly, and supplement if needed.