Here's a fun fact: did you know that the body doesn't naturally store vitamin C? This means that if your kids don't eat enough foods with vitamin C daily, then there's a chance that they can suffer from a vitamin C deficiency.
Dealing with Vitamin C deficiency is actually easy since vitamin C capsules are easy to buy in drugstores, and there's no shortage of vitamin c rich fruits in the country.
The hard part is knowing whether or not your child has a vitamin C deficiency since the signs aren't always that easy to spot.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Bleeding gums
Gums are particularly sensitive to a drop in vitamin C levels, so checking your child's gums are a good way of knowing if they have a vitamin C deficiency or not. Kids who have a vitamin C deficiency tend to have bleeding gums, since the gums are more sensitive and the lower vitamin C levels mean that wounds don't heal as fast.
2. Frequent nosebleeds
Another sign of a vitamin C deficiency is if your child suffers from frequent nosebleeds. Low vitamin C levels can cause blood vessels to become weaker, and nosebleeds are mainly caused by blood vessels bursting inside the nose. Weaker blood vessels mean that nosebleeds can become more common.
3. Dry hair
In general, hair is a good way of knowing whether or not your child is healthy. Having dry hair with a lot of split ends means that the body isn't producing enough collagen, and vitamin C plays a role in collagen production.
4. Wounds that aren't healing quickly
Vitamin C helps immensely when it comes to wound healing. This means that if your child's wounds don't seem to heal as quickly as before, chances are, their vitamin C levels might be low.
Incidentally, your child's immune system also depends on vitamin C, so it's important to ensure that your child has enough in their body.
5. Iron deficiency
Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron better. This means that even if you're eating enough iron-rich foods, if you don't have enough vitamin C, then you might suffer from a deficiency of both iron and vitamin C.
6. Dry, red, or wrinkled skin
Vitamin C helps with collagen production, and thus also contributes to your child's skin. Dry, reddish, or wrinkled skin can be a sign of vitamin C deficiency, especially if your child didn't have dry skin before.
7. They easily bruise
Vitamin C helps keep blood vessels strong and prevents them from rupturing. This means that if your child easily bruises, even just from a slight bump, they could be suffering from a vitamin C deficiency.
8. They get sick easily
Vitamin C does a lot to boost your child's immune system. A lack of vitamin C means that your child's immune system might be compromised, and they could possibly get sick more easily.
9. Fatigue or moodiness
Vitamin C also plays a role in the body's energy production and helps stabilize your child's mood. A lack of vitamin C can cause your child to easily get tired, or easily get frustrated or angry.
10. They become less active
A vitamin C deficiency can mean that your child becomes less active because they feel fatigue more easily. They can also suffer from weight gain as a result since their metabolism slows down due to the lack of physical activity.
Source: rd.com
READ: Essential vitamins for kids, and what foods provide them