by Amy Spangler
June 22, 2010

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada have alerted parents and caregivers to the risk for dosing errors when giving liquid vitamin D to babies.

Amidst growing concerns over vitamin D deficiency, baby gooroo has discussed the importance of vitamin D and the need for supplementation, but no mention has been made, until now, of the need to exercise caution when giving liquid vitamins to children.

The back-to-back warnings were prompted by reports that some liquid vitamin D products were being sold with droppers that were either mislabeled, not labeled, or oversized, making it possible for parents to accidentally give more than the recommended dose.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps build strong bones and teeth. Too little vitamin D can cause poor bone growth and lead to problems such as rickets. But too much vitamin D can cause vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, confusion, fatigue, and in serious cases, kidney damage.

FDA’s recommendations
The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that all breastfed babies receive 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day. To ensure that all infants receive what they need—no more, no less—the FDA has issued the following recommendations:

• Store liquid vitamin D supplements in their original package and follow the instructions that come with the product.

• Use only the dropper that comes with the product; it is manufactured specifically for that product. Do not use a dropper from another product.

• Make sure the dropper is clearly marked with units of measure. Make sure that the units of measure match those stated in the instructions.

• If you are unclear about the dose of vitamin D delivered by the dropper, talk to a health care professional before giving the supplement to your baby.

• If your baby is fully or partially fed with infant formula (vitamin D is added to infant formula during the manufacturing process), check with your baby’s health care provider before giving your baby vitamin D supplements.

With unintentional injury the leading cause of death in infants and children, and accidental poisoning responsible for many of those injuries, it is easy to see why the FDA and Health Canada have issued back-to-back warnings. The next step is for parents to heed those warnings.