Indications your child needs health drinks and what to do

One of the essential things required to ensure that your child has healthy growth and development is to follow a healthy balanced diet consisting of several essential vitamins and minerals. Failing to have a proper nutritional intake can cause your child to experience a nutritional gap, leading to severe and long-term complications as they grow up.

Minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D are a few essential nutrients that promote the body’s optimal functioning. While natural sources like fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, etc., can be a healthy addition to their diet, they may not necessarily fulfill the nutritional gap experienced by your child. The ideal step to take here would be to substitute their diet with the best health drink for a child.

Let us understand more about the nutritional requirements of children and how you may need to substitute your child’s daily nutritional intake with the best protein drink for kids.

Signs Of Nutritional Deficiency In Children

If your child has been exhibiting any of the following symptoms, it may be a potential indicator for a serious underlying health complication. Please consult your medical health practitioner about these symptoms before making any changes to their nutritional intake.

Vitamin B Deficiency

The Class B vitamins consist of several micronutrients that tend to have different types of unwanted side effects when deficient in them. Vitamin B deficiencies are primarily characterised by ulcers and lesions which appear on the inside of your mouth. Additionally, if your child has been suffering from brittle or thinning hair, along with weak nails, it may be a sign that they lack Vitamin B7.

In cases like these, it is a good idea to increase the intake of natural foods such as red meat, fish, spinach, and broccoli, which are a rich source of important B vitamins such as Vitamin B6, B9, and B12, in combination with the best protein drink for kids. Other known complications of developing a Vitamin B deficiency include rashes on the skin, irritation. Inflammation, hair loss, and decreased cognitive functioning.

It has also been observed that a highly severe deficiency in Vitamin B resulted in increased oxidative stress on the brain, leading to severe mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s.

Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C is one of the essential nutrients required for the proper functioning of our body. It carries out essential functions such as restoring muscle contraction, repairing blood flow, and promoting a healthy immune system. If your child lacks Vitamin C, they may exhibit signs of scurvy such as bleeding or weakened gums, having little to no energy, experiencing frequent bruising, etc.

As this deficiency becomes worse, your child may have a significant decrease in their collagen formation and synthesis of DNA, as well as weakened tissue connectivity. Left unchecked, scurvy can turn into a fatal health complication. In extreme cases, your child may also experience severe weight loss, mood swings, and an increased risk of developing mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Fresh fruits such as lemons, kiwi, and oranges are a few excellent sources of Vitamin C that can be consumed in combination with the best protein drink for kids to prevent developing a Vitamin C deficiency.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble nutrient that is primarily formulated from the cholesterol reserves in the body. It is crucial for your child’s growth and development as it helps promote the overall bone structure and protect them from several diseases and weaknesses. Apart from these functions, Vitamin D is also essential for boosting the intestinal absorption of minerals such as magnesium, phosphate, and calcium.

While there are no exact symptoms that indicate that your child may be going through a Vitamin D deficiency, there are specific changes exhibited by their body that could be a possible indicator of an underlying deficiency, such as:

• Osteoporosis: Children who have a significant lack of Vitamin D in their body have been observed to be affiliated with having thinned or brittle bones that were highly prone to breakage.

• Osteomalacia: Most commonly found in growing toddlers, osteomalacia is a condition wherein the bones develop a significantly softer structure, making them nearly malleable and prone to structural deformities.

Other known indicators of a possible vitamin D deficiency include:

• Experiencing fatigue, dizziness, pain, or discomfort in the body.
• Experiencing muscle weakness.
• Mood changes could potentially lead to mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Foods such as kale, cauliflower, and milk are some natural sources of Vitamin D that can be consumed with the best protein drink for kids to achieve the maximum health benefits.

Iron Deficiency

Iron is one of the essential minerals required to aid the proper functioning of our body. It carries our essential tasks, such as boosting the production of myoglobin. This protein undertakes the reception, transport, and supply of oxygen between the various muscles present in the body, enabling their expansion and contraction.

If your child is experiencing a deficiency in iron, their body may be exhibiting signs such as dizziness, fatigue, and weakened muscles. Severe deficiency of iron, especially among growing children, has been shown to lead to chronic illnesses such as anemia, characterised by the gradual and prolonged failure of essential organ functions due to the lack of red blood cells.

An excellent way to avoid developing an iron deficiency would be to make sure that your child consumes natural food sources such as spinach, legumes, and shellfish combined with the best protein drink for kids.

While the best health drink for a child may help you fulfill the nutritional gap that your child may be experiencing, it is also crucial for you to ensure that they get most of their vitamins and minerals and fresh and natural food sources that are consumed as part of a healthy eating plate to have the maximum health benefits.