Old Bridge, NJ – January 21, 2020 – Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center’s Mitchell Stroh, D.O., orthopedic surgeon at Raritan Bay Medical Center discusses reasons children need vitamin D supplements in the winter.

During the winter months, it may be difficult for kids to get the proper exposure necessary to maintain healthy levels. Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining bone health, as it’s needed to help the body absorb calcium.

“It’s important to remember the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, which could include general body aches and fatigue,” says Mitchell Stroh, D.O., an orthopedic surgeon fellowship-trained in sports medicine.

In order to counteract this, Dr. Stroh recommends supplements for people of all ages, but especially for children. Vitamin D deficiency in children is a serious problem and can lead to a variety of health concerns. Kids under the age of two can develop bone-softening diseases, like rickets. For older children and teens, lack of vitamin D can lead to an increased frequency in bone fractures.

Infants under the age of one should receive a daily dose of 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D. If the child is being breastfed, he or she will need supplement drops. If the child is formula-fed, 32 ounces of formula per day is needed to ensure proper vitamin D levels. Adolescents, teens and adults should take a daily supplement of 600 IU. However, some children may be different so consult with your doctor before giving supplements.

For more information, click here. For more information about Raritan Bay Medical Center, please visit www.rbmc.org.

About Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center

For more than 100 years, Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center-Perth Amboy and Raritan Bay Medical Center-Old Bridge have provided a full continuum of health care services to residents of Central Jersey. Raritan Bay Medical Center is one of less than one percent of hospitals in the world to achieve Magnet Recognition, the “Gold Standard” for nursing practice, quality, and safety in patient care, four times. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Raritan Bay Medical Center as high performing in Orthopedics, Nephrology, COPD and Heart Failure.

The medical center is a New Jersey state designated Primary Stroke Center and recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, recognizing optimal treatment of stroke patients. Raritan Bay is also a recipient of the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the AHA’s Heart Check Mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers and the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award recognizing high-quality care of patients experiencing a severe heart attack.

The Joslin Diabetes Center, Affiliate at Raritan Bay-Old Bridge, provides the latest advances for treating diabetes and its complications as well as other metabolic and endocrine disorders. Among its flagship programs are the Human Motion Institute, a comprehensive orthopedic program, and Institute for Weight Loss at Raritan Bay-Old Bridge and Center for Bariatric Surgery at Raritan Bay-Perth Amboy, both specializing in weight loss surgery. As part of Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s most comprehensive health networks, patients have access to advanced specialized services with a seamless continuum of care, close to home.

For more information, visit www.rbmc.org. To make an appointment for an outpatient test or treatment, call 732-324-5270. For a free physician referral, call 1-800-560-9990.

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