A deficiency of vitamin B12 is a common nutrient deficiency around the world. However, it is very important that children do not suffer from a vitamin B12 deficit because vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient for the body. It is crucial for the growth, development, and good health of children. The medical term for a deficit of vitamin B12 is a deficiency of cobalamin.
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that keeps the nerve cells healthy, and it therefore improves the brain development, neural myelination, and cognitive function of a child’s body. Besides, vitamin B12 also helps the body make DNA. This is the genetic material in all your cells, with all your genetic information. Not only does vitamin B12 keep the nerve cells healthy, but the health and production of the red blood cells also depend on vitamin B12. In some cases, a lack of vitamin B12 can cause anemia, and in this scenario, you would call that vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Anemia is a medical term for when the blood does not have enough red blood cells, or hemoglobin. The body is therefore not able to provide itself with enough oxygen.
The human body is not able to produce vitamin B12 itself, and for this reason, it is very important that your child consumes enough vitamin B12. There are a lot of different symptoms that your child can have when he or she suffers from a vitamin B12 deficit, besides vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. See the following symptoms:
- Slowed growth and development
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue and weakness
- Numbness and tingling
- Sore mouth or tongue
- Vision problems
- Memory loss
- Yellowish skin
- Feeling depressed
- Irritability
As you could read, it is very important that your child does not suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B12, as they are growing and developing a lot. It is therefore important that your child consumes enough vitamin B12 per day. In the following table, you can see the amount of Vitamin B12 that your child needs every day.
| Age groep | Recommended amount of iron a day |
| 1-12 months | * |
| 1 – 3 years | 0.9 mcg |
| 4 – 8 years | 1.3 mcg |
| 9 – 13 years | 1.8 mcg |
| 14 – 18 years | 2.4 mcg |
*During the first year of life, the intake of vitamin B12 is dependent on the intake of vitamin B12 by the mother during the pregnancy and therefore on how much vitamin B12 was available during the pregnancy. Normally, a newborn has a vitamin B12 storage of 25 ųg in the liver, and that should be enough for the first year of life.
If your child does not consume enough vitamin B12 every day, it is really important that you change his or her diet by adding foods rich in vitamin B12. The following foods are rich in vitamin B12:
- Animal food products: Red meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products
- Fortified foods: Breakfast cereal, plant milk, and certain breads
- Vitamin B12 dietary supplements: It is important that you ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to help you choose which supplement is best for you, especially in the case of a child.
In short, it is very important that your child does not suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B12 and that you, as a person with a parental role, pay attention to the vitamin B12 intake of your child.
Sources:
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22831-vitamin-b12-deficiency, clevelandclinc, 12-07-23
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/, National Institutes of Health, 12-07-23
- https://stichtingb12tekort.nl/english/vitamin-b12-deficiency-in-children/, stichtingb12tekort, 12-07-23
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