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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
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Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Infants
Meltem Akcaboy1, Baris Malbora, Pelin Zorlu
1Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children's Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|April 5, 2015
Summary
Infant vitamin B12 deficiency presents with diverse symptoms including infections, pallor, and developmental delays. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with cyanocobalamin improve clinical and laboratory findings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Hematology
- Neurology
Background:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is a critical concern in infants, potentially leading to severe health issues.
- Maternal vitamin B12 status significantly impacts infant health, particularly in breastfed infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe the varied clinical manifestations of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants.
- To highlight the importance of considering vitamin B12 deficiency in the differential diagnosis of infant illnesses.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of hospital records for infants aged 1-20 months diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Evaluation included clinical history, physical examination, laboratory tests (hematology, serum B12), and imaging.
- Diagnosis was confirmed by maternal and infant nutritional history, clinical signs, and low serum vitamin B12 levels.
Main Results:
- Twenty infants were studied, with common symptoms including infections (30%), pallor (25%), hypotonia/neurodevelopmental delay (25%), and feeding difficulties (20%).
- Anemia (80%), leukopenia (15%), neutropenia (35%), and thrombocytopenia (10%) were observed.
- All affected infants were breastfed, and their mothers also had vitamin B12 deficiency. Treatment with cyanocobalamin led to significant improvement.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency presents with a wide spectrum of symptoms in infants, affecting hematological, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems.
- It is crucial to include vitamin B12 deficiency in the differential diagnosis for infants presenting with unexplained disturbances.
- Early detection and supplementation are vital for reversing the adverse effects of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants.
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