The article discusses the effect of folic acid on the children's body, sources of vitamin B9 from food, overdose and benefits of the vitamin.
Among the B vitamins, folic acid can be distinguished. In its natural form, this substance is not stable; it quickly deteriorates in light and during heat treatment.
The name comes from the Latin “foli” - literally “leaf”, because. Vitamin B9 was first discovered in the green parts of plants. Spinach, sorrel, parsley and all types of cabbage are rich in it. There is a lot of it in asparagus, grapefruits, chicken liver, eggs, legumes and rye bread.
Why do children need it?
It is believed that the main purpose of vitamin B9 is the formation of the placenta during pregnancy. With its deficiency, the likelihood of miscarriages and the development of fetal pathologies increases.
In addition, folic acid is necessary for protein synthesis, participates in the process hematopoiesis. In our body, the process of cell death and the formation of new ones is continuous.
When restoring tissues, you cannot do without vitamin B9: it acts as a builder and reconstructor.
IN childhood The growth of organs and the entire body is intense, processes occur at high speed, and a lot of protein and energy are required. Therefore, it is important for children to get enough folic acid.
Can it be given to children?
Attention! Reception synthetic drugs with vitamin B9 should be discussed with a specialist in each individual case. Only your doctor can tell you about the need to take medications and their dosage.
As a rule, pediatricians advise introducing the child to foods containing vitamin B9 during the first complementary feedings. At the age of 6-8 months, chicken liver and egg yolk are introduced into the diet.
Also, a nursing mother is advised to take multivitamins, monitor her diet, and avoid folic acid deficiency.
How to give to children?
In order not to be afraid of doctor’s prescriptions, let’s look at the benefits of vitamin B9 and the risks of its deficiency.
Folic acid is an essential building block in the DNA structure; it is a building material for growing tissues; its presence in the body is vital.
When cells are actively dividing, they cannot do without vitamin B9, since it allows cell walls to form and is involved in energy metabolism. This is why folic acid is extremely important for a growing person.
Already at the planning stage of conception, it is important that future parents have enough vitamin B9 in their bodies. This will avoid anemia in the fetus, prevent neural tube defects, and ensure the correct development of internal organs.
Moreover, folic acid is required during the active development of a child in the first years of life. You can get the required amount from food and supplement it with special medications.
How to give to infants (children under one year old)?
If the newborn is breastfed and there is no shortage of vitamins in the mother’s diet, additional intake of synthetic analogues is not required.
Otherwise, an overdose is possible, accompanied by allergic rashes and asthmatic attacks.
When the baby does not eat well, does not gain weight, often catches colds, or there is a developmental delay, the doctor will prescribe additional vitamins. It is recommended to give children up to one year from 10 to 40 mcg per day
There are anemias associated with folic acid deficiency. With them, vitamin B9 is taken according to a special regimen prescribed by the pediatrician.
For children from 1 to 3 years old
During this period, the child makes many discoveries, learns, remembers, and actively studies the world. As a result, the volume of the brain increases. Folic acid will help you cope with the assimilation of information.
Most often, the dosages are as follows:
- children under 3 years of age are prescribed no more than 50 mcg per day;
- from 3 to 6 years – 75 mcg;
- children school age from 6 to 10 years - 100 mcg;
- from 10 to 14 years – 150 mcg.
The degree of additional vitamin intervention depends on the characteristics of a particular organism, physical training, hereditary predisposition.
In the company of other minerals, folic acid is most fully absorbed. The classic combination: B9, B6 and B12 - improves vision, lifts your mood, and strengthens your immune system.
Overdose
It happens that due to the enzymatic characteristics of the body, synthetic vitamin B9 begins to accumulate in the blood, creating a number of problems from allergic urticaria to heart failure.
For this reason, you should not self-medicate and prescribe vitamins to children, bypassing the pediatrician’s recommendations.
The most dangerous thing is a hidden overdose. It is asymptomatic and does not allow other B vitamins to be absorbed.
Natural sources
At the right approach, you can adjust the level of folic acid in the blood through food. To do this, you should lean on strawberries, gooseberries, grapefruits and spinach. All green vegetables, animal liver, meat and shellfish are rich in vitamin B9.
As for the little ones, we need to take into account how the child up to one year old ate: was he long time breastfed or received mostly formula.
If the mother did not suffer from a lack of vitamins, the baby will willingly accept new food into its menu and will gradually rebuild its gastronomic preferences.
It is easier for artificially fed babies to switch to complementary foods, but according to statistics, they suffer from a lack of nutrients more often.
This is due to the fact that vitamins and minerals are absorbed more easily from mother’s milk, and the baby’s immune system and intestines are more prepared to receive unfamiliar foods.
Children under one year old
For children under one year old, vegetables can serve as a source of folic acid. zucchini puree, broccoli or carrot juice. Cottage cheese pudding, egg yolk and chicken liver mousse will perfectly complement this diet.
It is worth remembering that almost all vitamins are destroyed by excessive heat treatment, so you should steam them, simmer them in a small amount of liquid, or bake them and serve only freshly prepared food.
Children from 1 to 2 years old
When the baby crosses the one-year mark, you can already grind the products so carefully. They'll go ahead vegetables in small pieces, mashed cottage cheese. Rye crackers will also be a good source of vitamin B9.
Cabbage in the form of decoctions and soups, as well as cauliflower steamed, turkey and pumpkin stews, cottage cheese casseroles, pasta and tender liver are also perfect for this role.
Children from 2 to 5 years old
After two years, the amount of meat on the little gourmet’s menu should increase. Turkey and chopped steamed veal cutlets, lean pork in the form of meatballs, for example, are acceptable.
If there are no manifestations of allergies, then you can add orange and strawberry desserts, fish cutlets, sweet pilaf with dried apricots and raisins.
Children over 5 years old
The older the child gets, the more there is in his diet. raw vegetables and herbs, grains and beans. After 5 years, a child’s body can already cope quite well with whole grain porridge, low-fat steamed fish, and a salad of fresh carrots, cabbage, and spinach.
In order for vitamins from food to be better absorbed, and for the child’s digestion to cope with the amount of fiber and protein, the diet should be varied.
Conclusion
It is important for young members of society to have good health.
The basis of immunity is the complete supply of the body nutrients, vitamins, microelements.
This makes it easier for a child to resist external stimuli, endure stress and viral attacks.
In contact with
Folic acid belongs to the B vitamins (vitamin B9) and is very often prescribed to expectant mothers: both women who are just planning a pregnancy and those who are already carrying a baby. This is due to the ability of such a vitamin compound to protect the embryo from harmful effects, and also have a positive effect on the maturation and function of the placenta.
However, in some cases, folic acid is also prescribed to children. It is included in many multivitamin supplements, but is also available separately - in the form of a drug, which is also called “Folic acid”. Before you give it medicine child, you need to find out how it acts on the child’s body and in what cases it is used in children.
Release form and composition
All drugs whose main ingredient is folic acid are available only in solid form. Often these are round tablets yellow color. Some manufacturers have them covered with a film coating. Sometimes there is a mark on one of the surfaces of the tablet. “Folic acid” is sold both in blisters and in jars. The number of tablets in one package is most often 50 pieces, but it can be smaller (10, 20, 25, 30 and 40 tablets) and larger (75 or 100 tablets).
The dosage of folic acid in one tablet can be:
- 400 mcg;
- 1 mg;
- 5 mg.
IN lowest dose The vitamin is contained in a product from Valenta Pharmaceuticals called “9 months folic acid.” Auxiliary ingredients different manufacturers differ and may include lactose, copovidone, stearic acid, sucrose, potato starch, MCC and other substances.
Operating principle
The benefit of vitamin B9 lies in its participation in metabolism and the formation of blood cells. Folic acid is very important for different processes V human body and for normal function different organs. Once in the human body, such a vitamin becomes tetrahydrofolic acid, which participates in metabolic reactions in the form of a coenzyme.
It is needed for hematopoiesis, as it ensures the normal maturation of red blood cells and activates erythropoiesis. Without enough folic acid, normoblast formation is impaired, causing larger cells called macrocytes to appear in the blood.
In addition, this coenzyme takes part in the synthesis of nucleic acids (which is important for the formation of RNA and DNA) and some amino acids. Folic acid is no less important for choline metabolism and iron absorption.
Active substance tablets are absorbed in the intestines in almost the full dose and after 30–60 minutes are found in the bloodstream in maximum concentration. Metabolic changes in folic acid take place in the intestines and liver, and excretion occurs in the urine.
Indications
“Folic acid” is prescribed when a deficiency of vitamin B9 is detected in the body or to prevent its deficiency, the reason for which may be:
- increased need for vitamins: when carrying a child, during active growth, with anemia, skin diseases, and so on;
- insufficient amount of folic acid in food, for example, with an unbalanced diet;
- impaired absorption of the vitamin in the intestine: with celiac disease, dysbacteriosis, enteritis, malabsorption syndrome, sprue and other diseases.
Symptoms that occur with folic acid deficiency include pale skin, weakness, growth retardation, restless sleep, emotional instability, poor appetite, stomatitis, fatigue and other ailments.
Vitamin deficiency increases gradually and, if not eliminated in time, can cause serious disorders.
Needs for folic acid in a child depend on age:
- up to one year old, the baby should receive it daily in the amount of 25 mcg;
- a one-year-old toddler and a 2-year-old child require 50 mcg of this vitamin per day;
- Children 3–6 years old need 75 mcg of folic acid daily;
- a school-age child (7–10 years old) should receive this vitamin in a daily dosage of 100 mcg;
- V adolescence requirements increase to 200 mcg per day.
As you can see, these dosages are much lower than the content of the vitamin in tablets, so children are prescribed this medication less frequently for preventive purposes. Most often in childhood, the drug is used for folate deficiency anemia, and also as part of complex treatment other types of anemia. But in adults (in particular, in women who are carrying a child or breastfeeding it), “Folic acid” is in demand primarily for prevention.
Studies have confirmed that taking pills during pregnancy and during breastfeeding helps:
- avoid miscarriage;
- reduce the risk of pathologies of the nervous system in the baby;
- prevent placental abruption;
- reduce the likelihood of developing gestosis;
- prevent anemia in a premature baby.
Newborns get enough folic acid from their mother's milk. If the baby receives formula, he is born ahead of schedule or he has some kind of intestinal disease, then the doctor should tell him how to prevent the development of hypovitaminosis through dietary correction or vitamin supplements.
At what age is it allowed?
Since “Folic acid” is presented only in tablet form, it is prescribed to children over 3 years of age, because such patients usually swallow the tablet without difficulty.
Contraindications
In addition to age restrictions, the use of “Folic acid” has several other contraindications. First of all, this is hypersensitivity to vitamin B9 or any of the additional substances in the tablets. Since most drugs contain lactose or sucrose, the medication is not prescribed for hereditary diseases, in which carbohydrate metabolism is impaired.
Give folic acid to patients with malignant tumors need to be done with caution. It is also not recommended to take this vitamin without the supervision of a doctor if there is a lack of cobalamin and the development of B12-deficiency anemia. In this situation, folic acid may improve blood test results, but will hide neurological problems.
For this reason, if erythropenia, neutropenia, low hemoglobin or changes in other indicators are detected general analysis blood must first pass additional examinations and only after that take “Folic acid” if tests confirm that it is really necessary.
Side effects
Some children react to the medication with itching, erythema, nausea, bloating, or skin rash. In such a situation, the medication should be stopped. If you take the pills for too long, it can lead to hypovitaminosis B12.
How and when to give the drug?
According to the instructions for use, the tablets are taken after meals and washed down clean water. The dosage is prescribed individually, because it depends on the reason for using “Folic acid” and on the age of the child. Sometimes treatment is started with higher dosages and then adjusted based on response child's body. The duration of use should be determined by the doctor, taking into account the diagnosis and positive dynamics, but tablets are usually not taken for longer than 30 days in a row.
If the dose prescribed to a small patient is less than 500 mcg (half a tablet), then it will be difficult to divide the drug into the required pieces. In such a situation, a solution is prepared from the medicine using uncoated tablets. To prepare it, take 25 ml of non-hot boiled water and 1/4 tablet, which corresponds to 250 mcg of folic acid.
In 1 ml of the resulting solution there will be 10 mcg of a vitamin compound, which allows you to give the baby the required amount of medicine. Having given the medicine to the child, the remaining solution should be poured out, and the next day a new one should be prepared from a different tablet.
Overdose
Vitamin B9, like other B vitamins, is considered water soluble. This means that it does not accumulate in the body if it comes in a slight excess, but is simply excreted in the urine. However, with a very significant excess of the dose, the appearance of negative symptoms from the central nervous system and digestive tract (nausea, flatulence, poor sleep, nervous agitation, etc.).
Interaction with other drugs
The absorption of “Folic acid” worsens when combined with certain antibiotics: tetracycline, neomycin, chloramphenicol and others. Treatment anticonvulsants increases the need for vitamin B9, and antacids and cholestyramine reduce the absorption of the drug in the intestine. The effect of taking Folic Acid will be lower if Methotrexate, Trimethoprim and similar medications are prescribed at the same time.
Terms of sale
The tablets are sold without a prescription and are available in all pharmacies, and their price depends on the packaging and manufacturer. On average, 50 tablets of 1 mg each can be purchased for 30 rubles.
Storage conditions
It is recommended to keep the medication at home at temperatures up to +25 degrees. For storage, a dry place hidden from children is best suited. The shelf life of "Folic acid" is usually 3 years.
Children need folic acid no less than adults - because its lack leads to delays in growth and development, and even to serious diseases.
Symptoms of vitamin B9 deficiency in a child
Special attention should be paid to the following manifestations:
- Stunted growth;
- Pale skin;
- Nervous behavior, emotional instability;
- Poor sleep and appetite;
- High fatigue;
- Weakness, lethargy;
- Digestive problems.
It is important to understand that all these signs may indicate not only hypovitaminosis, but also some other painful condition. If a child develops such symptoms, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician for a diagnosis and treatment.
If hypovitaminosis B9 is detected, the doctor will prescribe folic acid.
Folic acid for children with anemia
Anemia associated with folate deficiency is called megaloblastic anemia.
With hypovitaminosis B9, hematopoiesis worsens. Hemoglobin remains normal, but the level of red blood cells drops sharply. At the same time, they lose the ability to deliver oxygen to cells.
Such anemia is not uncommon in babies born prematurely and/or underweight. In addition, the disease often occurs in children with digestive disorders (poor absorption of folic acid) and improper feeding.
For such conditions, children are prescribed folic acid.
Most often, folk is prescribed to premature babies or children with underweight. Ideally, they should get enough folic acid from breast milk, but if the mother herself has a B9 deficiency or the baby “fails” digestive system, this source may be missing.
During the first year of life, the baby grows very rapidly - his height doubles and his weight triples. Since vitamin B9 is involved not only in hematopoiesis and the functioning of the immune system, but also in the production of proteins necessary for growth, children at this age are especially sensitive to folate deficiency.
A healthy child receives folic acid from breast milk mothers or as part of a formula for artificial feeding.
In some cases, it may be necessary to prescribe complex vitamins, including folic acid. Such drugs are usually available in drops to make it convenient to give them to your baby. These include, for example, ChildLife multivitamin complex, Essential multivitamins and minerals with orange/mango flavor (recommended for children from 6 months).
Remember! Prescribe any medications infant Only a doctor can!
At kindergarten age, others come to the fore important functions vitamin B9.
First of all, the immune system a child in kindergarten is subjected to daily tests - infections and viruses are a common occurrence in children's institutions. We remember that folk is involved in the immune support of the body.
And the second important factor– beneficial effects of folic acid on nervous system. Do not forget that being in the first team for a child is also fraught with stress, not to mention the notorious crisis at the age of three.
For schoolchildren
Folic acid regulates brain activity. This means that it is also very important for schoolchildren, who are constantly loaded with huge amounts of information. Scientists from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine were the first to conduct a study proving that the level of folic acid in the body directly affects school performance! At an optimal level, the child copes with the educational load more easily, does not become overtired, and is less susceptible to the influence of emotional stress. In adolescence, this also determines how easily the child will tolerate hormonal changes.
Contraindications
When prescribing, the doctor takes into account all existing contraindications. Children with the following conditions should not take folate:
- Individual intolerance to folic acid;
- Low levels of cyanocobalamin;
- Failure in iron metabolism. Thus, folic acid is not prescribed for children with low hemoglobin.
Food sources
It is best for your child to get enough folate from food. They are rich in hazelnuts, broccoli, carrots, peanuts, eggs, and liver.
The problem is that during heat treatment a significant part of the vitamin is destroyed. The body’s own synthesis stops when the digestive system is disrupted.
Folic acid for children - dosage
Folk is given to children after meals, once a day. The dosage is selected according to the age group:
The easiest way to accurately measure your child's folic acid dosage is to use. By the way, it is in this form that it is best absorbed.
Folic acid, or vitamin B 9, – important element, which is involved in many processes occurring in the body. Children especially need this substance. Vitamin B 9 is involved in cell division and activates amino acid metabolism, which is necessary during the growth of a child. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the folic acid content is at the proper level. To do this you need to know what daily norm folic acid for children, what foods contain it and how to take it correctly.
Why is it needed?
Folic acid is very important for the proper functioning of the immune system and circulatory systems. It takes part in carbohydrate and fat metabolic processes. Beneficial features vitamin B 9 are especially evident during the period intrauterine development and up to 3 years of age. At this time, active growth of all organs and systems occurs, and the bone marrow is strengthened.
Among the properties of folic acid, the following are noted.
- Preventing the risk of developing anemia at an early age.
- Participation in the creation of beneficial microflora.
- Improving bone marrow function.
Thanks to vitamin B 9, blood begins to circulate faster and the production of red blood cells increases. With a deficiency of this element, hematopoietic processes are inhibited. Even in the background normal level hemoglobin decreases the amount of red blood cells ec. They become immature, unable to capture oxygen and deliver it to cells. At the same time, the size of red blood cells increases. Folate deficiency anemia is typical for children with underweight, diseases of the digestive tract, premature babies or those suffering due to improper feeding.
Doctors often prescribe folic acid to treat autism. This disease occurs in the first year of life. Accompanied by motor impairment and mental retardation. The causes of the disease are still unclear. But medical specialists They agree that one of the factors is a lack of vitamin B 9 and its blocking by one’s own antibodies. As a result, the brain suffers. The use of folic acid improves the speech of a child with autism and reduces behavioral symptoms characteristic of this disease.
Gynecologists recommend taking vitamin B 9 already at the stage of pregnancy planning, 2–3 months before conception. Preventive measures will help prevent physical abnormalities and delayed fetal development.
An increased need for the vitamin occurs when the child begins to attend kindergarten: aged 1.5 to 7 years. In a large team they often viral infections. Folic acid helps strengthen the immune system.
School-age children need vitamin B 9 to improve intellectual activity and concentration, it prevents overwork and increases stress resistance.
Symptoms of deficiency
Folic acid deficiency is not immediately detected. Vitamin deficiency appears gradually and is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- pale skin;
- weakness, lethargy and growth retardation;
- emotional instability and restless sleep;
- increased fatigue;
- loss of appetite;
- development of stomatitis, gastritis and enteritis.
However, even if you find similar symptoms in your child, there is no need to rush to the pharmacy for vitamin B 9. The drug must be selected by a doctor. Folic acid for children under one year of age can be prescribed only if they were born premature, are not gaining weight well, or have problems with intestinal function (frequent constipation or diarrhea). In rare cases, vitamin B 9 may be prescribed to bottle-fed newborns.
How to use
Lack of folic acid has a negative impact on health. But its excess is also harmful. Therefore, it is very important for children to observe correct dosage vitamin A.
It is recommended to give infants up to 6 months no more than 25 mcg of folic acid per day. At the age of six months to a year, the amount of vitamin can be increased to 35 mcg. An older child should take no more than 50 mcg of the substance per day.
Every 3 years, the dosage of folic acid can be increased by 25 mcg. Children over 3 years old are recommended to take 75 mcg of the vitamin, from 6 years old - 100 mcg, at 9 years old - 125 mcg. For children over 14 years of age maximum daily dose is 200 mcg.
Instructions for taking the drug are not difficult. Folic acid is usually sold in tablets of 400 mcg or 1 mg. It should be divided into the required number of parts depending on the age of the child. For children, a piece of the tablet should be crushed into powder and diluted with water.
Sources of folic acid
You can compensate for the lack of vitamin B 9 not only with the help pharmaceuticals, but also by consuming foods that contain it. Chicken, cottage cheese, cheese, cabbage, nuts and herbs are especially rich in it. It is useful to include children's menu tomatoes, spinach, leeks and lettuce. The vitamin is found in carrots, barley, sea fish, liver and milk.
Folic acid is easily destroyed during heat treatment, long-term storage and exposure to sunlight. Thus, up to 90% of the vitamin is lost during cooking, and up to 95% during frying. Even from greens, only a small part of the beneficial element is absorbed.
Therefore, in case of acute deficiency, it is best to take multivitamin complexes. Children are usually prescribed “Multitabs”, “Supradin”, “Jungle”, “ABC”, “Complivit”. Pharmacy products differ in that in combination with vitamin B 9 there are other useful elements that improve its absorption.
Folic acid - important vitamin For children's health. Its lack is fraught with serious problems. Therefore, parents must monitor their child’s diet. For prevention purposes, you should take a course of the vitamin at least once every 3 years, but only after consulting with your doctor.
Folic acid is essential for children as they play important role in the development of a young growing organism. However, it is also recommended in preparation for conceiving a baby. This vitamin is also useful for women during breastfeeding. Let's consider why a child needs folic acid and what the consequences of its deficiency may be.
Why do you need folic acid for children?
Folic acid for a 1 year old child is necessary to ensure the normal course of the following processes:
Active phase of cell division. It is up to one year that children develop at the fastest pace. During division, nucleic acid takes part, in the synthesis of which B9 takes part;
Folic acid for children under one year old allows the transmission of hereditary characteristics, which in turn prevents the development of all kinds of mutations, which in the future can lead to the development of diseases, anomalies and deviations;
Folic acid for infants is necessary to ensure proper functioning of the brain, which involves its active development, preparation for speech production, and adequate perception of the surrounding world;
B9 helps strengthen the nervous system. In practice, a child with a sufficient daily level of B9 intake is calmer, his immune system resists external pathogens (infections, viruses), since folic acid helps a 1-year-old child strengthen the immune system.
It should be especially noted why folic acid is needed for children 3 years old:
The active growth of three-year-old children slows down, but does not stop, so B9 is also necessary for cell division;
B9 helps maintain the health and stability of the nervous system;
Responsible for the full creation of erythrocytes - red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen through organs and tissues (prevents the development of anemia).
What are the dangers of folic acid deficiency for children?
Folic acid is necessary for a child to support many processes. If you do not adhere to daily norms, depending on the lack of vitamin in the body, the following deviations may occur:
Anemia. With an insufficient level of B9 consumption, the process of creating red blood cells, responsible for the transfer of iron to tissues and organs, is disrupted. Immature red blood cells cannot cope with their task, so a severe oxygen deficiency occurs. As a result, the development of anemia;
Folic acid for a three-month-old baby in insufficient quantities is dangerous, since there is a possibility of poor-quality cell division, a lack of nucleic acid, which can lead to abnormalities and the development of pathologies;
Insufficient amounts of folic acid for infants can cause the development of diseases of the nervous system.
Folic acid requirements in children
Folic acid for children dosage for different ages:
1 month - 6 months - 25 mcg;
6 months - 12 months - 35 mcg;
1 year - 3 years - 50 mcg;
3 years - 6 years - 75 mcg;
6 years - 10 years - 100 mcg;
10 years - 14 years - 150 mcg;
From 14 years - 200 mcg.
How to take folic acid for children
Folic acid for a 3 month old baby is taken regardless of meals. It is recommended that when using individual drugs, crush the tablet until a homogeneous powder is obtained. The contents of the crushed tablet must be poured into a measuring or regular spoon, add a little water, and place.
Children take folic acid per year in vitamin complexes or separately. It is also possible to crush the tablet, there is no connection to meals.
Folic acid for children 6 years of age is taken mainly in vitamin complexes. Depending on the form of release, the drug is absorbed by children (it is not recommended to give whole tablets under 3 years of age).
