Vitamin A deficiency in children

Vitamin A Food Sources

Good food sources of retinoid vitamin A include:

• Eggs
• Whole milk
• Liver
• Fortified skim milk and cereals
• Plant sources of vitamin A (from beta-carotene) include carrots, spinach, and apricots.

Signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include

• Bitot spots: They are the areas of abnormal cell proliferation seen in conjunctiva.
• Blindness due to retinal injury.
• Poor adaptation to darkness (nyctalopia)
• Dry skin
• Dry hair
• Pruritus: Itching of skin.
• Broken fingernails
• Keratomalacia
• Xerophthalmia (dry eyes).
• Corneal perforation.
• Follicular hyperkeratosis (phrynoderma) secondary to blockage of hair follicles with plugs of keratin.
• Other signs of VAD include excessive deposition of periosteal bone secondary to reduced orthoclastic activity, anemia, keratinization of mucous membranes, and impairment of the humoral and cell-mediated immune system.

Causes of vitamin A deficiency

• Malabsoprtion.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Sprue.
• Pancreatic insufficiency.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Cholestasis.
• In those who have undergone small bowel bypass surgery.
• Zinc deficiency: Zinc helps in absorption of vitamin A.
• Infections like measles.
• Stress due to illness.
• Pregnancy.

Treatment

• Vitamin A supplements are given orally.
• Fortification of milk with vitamin A to prevent deficiency. A variety of foods, such as breakfast cereals, pastries, breads, crackers, and cereal grain bars, are often fortified with 10-15% of the RDA of vitamin A.
• Consumption of vitamin A rich foods like liver, beef, chicken, eggs, whole milk, fortified milk, carrots, mango, orange, spinach, sweet potatoes and other green vegetables. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.