NEW GUIDELINES DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF RECOMMENDED VITAMIN D

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NEW GUIDELINES DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF RECOMMENDED VITAMIN D

Below is a

news release on a press briefing at the 2008 National Conference and

Exhibition (NCE) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Greer, MD, FAAP, chairman of the AAP National Committee on Nutrition

and a lead author of the AAP Clinical Report “Prevention of Rickets and

Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents,” will

present the key recommendations in the report at 10:45 a.m. Monday,

Oct. 13 in the press briefing room 307 of the Hynes Convention Center.

Carol C. Wagner, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Section on Breastfeeding

Executive Committee and co-author of the report, will be available for

telephone interviews. The report is embargoed until Monday, Oct. 13 at

12:01 a.m. ET.

For Release: Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, 12:01 am ET

BOSTON - The

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is doubling the amount of vitamin

D it recommends for infants, children and adolescents. The new clinical

report, "Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents,"

recommends all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in

the first few days of life. The previous recommendation, issued in

2003, called for 200 IU per day beginning in the first two months of

life. The

change in recommendation comes after reviewing new clinical trials on

vitamin D and the historical precedence of safely giving 400 IU per day

to the pediatric population. Clinical data show that 400 units of

vitamin D a day will not only prevent rickets, but treat it. This

bone-softening disease is preventable with adequate vitamin D, but

dietary sources of vitamin D are limited, and it is difficult to

determine a safe amount of sunlight exposure to synthesize vitamin D in

a given individual. Rickets continues to be reported in the United

States in infants and adolescents. The greatest risk for rickets is in

exclusively breastfed infants who are not supplemented with 400 IU of

vitamin D a day. Adequate

vitamin D throughout childhood may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. In

adults, new evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a role in the immune

system and may help prevent infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer and

diabetes. "We

are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day

because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits,"

said Greer, MD, FAAP, chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition and

co-author of the report. “Supplementation is important because most

children will not get enough vitamin D through diet alone.” "Breastfeeding

is the best source of nutrition for infants. However, because of

vitamin D deficiencies in the maternal diet, which affect the vitamin D

in a mother’s milk, it is important that breastfed infants receive

supplements of vitamin D,” said Carol Wagner, MD, FAAP, member of the

AAP Section on Breastfeeding Executive Committee and co-author of the

report. “Until it is determined what the vitamin D requirements of the

lactating mother-infant dyad are, we must ensure that the breastfeeding

infant receives an adequate supply of vitamin D through a supplement of

400 IU per day.” The new recommendations include: Breastfed and

partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU a day of

vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life.

All non-breastfed infants, as well as older children, who

are consuming less than one quart per day of vitamin D-fortified

formula or milk, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day.

Adolescents who do not obtain 400 IU of vitamin D per day through foods should receive a supplement containing that amount.

Children with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, such as

those taking certain medications, may need higher doses of vitamin D.

Given the growing

evidence that adequate vitamin D status during pregnancy is important

for fetal development, the AAP also recommends that providers who care

for pregnant women consider measuring vitamin D levels in this

population. Dr.

Greer will be leading an educational session on vitamin D deficiency

from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13, in room 203 of the Hynes

Convention Center. The presentation will include a discussion of the

increase in vitamin D-deficient rickets and a review of studies on

vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy, lactation and childhood.

This presentation will be repeated from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Monday. Editor’s

Note: Also in October, the AAP will publish the sixth edition of its

Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, which details the latest evidence-based

guidelines on feeding children and adolescents and updates the previous

version published in 2004. The new edition covers advances and

developments in breastfeeding, fast food, vegetarian diets, newborn

diarrhea, food labeling, preterm infant nutrition, chronic obesity and

other topics.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Carol in ILMom to , 8 DS My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.Join our Down Syndrome information group - http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/ http://downsyndromeinfoexchange.blogspot.com/Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace.com/vennamusic