How Vitamin D Affects Children With Cerebral Palsy

e days, the benefits of vitamin D are hard to miss. Health blogs and magazines alike praise the vitamin for its assistance with weight loss, immunity and depression, among others. Also common are articles discussing how many Americans (both adults and children) may have vitamin D deficiencies. This can be particularly problematic for children with cerebral palsy, as a vitamin D deficiency could lead to weakened bone marrow, making critical surgeries a risky endeavor.

In the Spring of 2011, a study revealed that many children who underwent surgery that season had severely weakened bone marrow due to a lack of vitamin D. The study took 70 children from a variety of ages who had recently been admitted to a hospital for surgery. 90 percent of these children had a vitamin D deficiency. African-American children were particularly susceptible, as darker skin tones can sometimes be inefficient at absorbing sunlight, the primary resource for vitamin D.

With this in mind, it is important to have your child's vitamin D levels and bone conditions checked prior to any major surgeries

How To Test For Vitamin D Deficiency

Typically, a blood test is enough to determine the levels of vitamin D in your system. However, the optimal level of vitamin D for both children and adults is still the subject of some debate for health researchers. Test results can vary from different laboratories, which makes ideal levels even more difficult to discern.

Sources for Vitamin D

As mentioned earlier, the sun is our primary resource for vitamin D. Healthy exposure to sunlight will supply our bodies with the vitamin through our skin. As we get older, it becomes more difficult for our skin to absorb vitamin D. With the prevalence of using sunscreen or staying indoors in general, many people do not receive vitamin D in this way.

As for dietary sources, fish and milk are the most common ways to receive vitamin D. For example, the web resource Mayo Clinic recommends two glasses of milk a day in order to receive the daily requirement.

If these resources aren't readily available, adults and children can take vitamin D supplements found at their local pharmacy or grocery store. However, the ideal daily dosage from