Description of the use of Vitamin D in children aged 0-18 months.

Abstract

Following the alerts issued by the French health authorities and the craze among parents wishing to use natural medicine, many cases of intoxication have occurred in recent years. We aimed to describe vitamin D intake by patients under 18 months of age in three hospitals in the Great West of France and via social networks. Data were collected on the caregivers (age, place of residence, vitamin D supplementation during mother's pregnancy, opinion on vitamin D), the patient (age, place in sibling group, diet), and the drug (prescriber, origin, form prescribed versus administered, dosage, medication or dietary supplement, number of omissions, reason for non-administration if any). Five hundred six responses were collected, highlighting a disparity in vitamin D administration in drug and dietary supplement form. Vitamin D was not administered in 7 % of the responses collected because there was no initial or renewed prescription). Food supplement was given to 77, i.e., 16 % of respondents. Only 43 % of mothers received supplementation during pregnancy. One person mentioned being very careful with the dosage as there had been a case of overdosing in their family. There were many different opinions expressed on the usefulness of supplementation: from "no interest," "gives colic," and "questionable composition," to "I am confused," and also "essential" or "I have complete confidence in my doctor." Misinformation about vitamin D supplementation persists in the French population and leads us to consider how to educate the population about the role of vitamin D: handing out leaflets in maternity wards, increasing communication in magazines accessible to the general public, a media campaign, etc.