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[Vitamin B12 deficiency due to abnormal eating habits]
A B Prakken1, L Veenhuizen, M C Bruin
1Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis, afd. Hematologie, Utrecht.
Insights
Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency is rare but can occur in children due to inadequate feeding. This can cause severe anemia and neurological issues, even in developed countries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition
- Neurology
Background:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is uncommon in developed nations.
- Nutritional deficiencies can impact child development and neurological function.
Observation:
- Two pediatric cases of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency were identified.
- Case 1: A 2-year-old girl with neurodevelopmental regression and macrocytic anemia.
- Case 2: A 14-year-old girl with severe polyneuropathy and macrocytic anemia, linked to child abuse and unusual feeding patterns.
Findings:
- Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency can manifest with macrocytic anemia and significant neurological abnormalities in children.
- Inadequate feeding patterns, including those related to child abuse, are identified as causes.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering vitamin B12 deficiency in pediatric cases presenting with anemia and neurological symptoms, regardless of socioeconomic status.
- Underscores the need for vigilant nutritional assessment in children, especially those with atypical feeding behaviors or suspected abuse.
- Emphasizes that vitamin B12 deficiency can have severe, long-term consequences if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
Abstract:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is an uncommon disorder in a prosperous western country. In two children a nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency was observed. The first was a 2-year-old girl with neurodevelopmental regression and macrocytic anaemia, a result of a combination of a maternal vitamin B12 deficiency and inadequate feeding after birth. The second patient was a 14-year-old adipose girl with severe polyneuropathy and mild macrocytic anaemia as a result of a nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency. In her case the deficiency resulted from a bizarre feeding pattern. She turned out to be the victim of child abuse. It is concluded that even in a prosperous western country like the Netherlands vitamin B12 deficiency in children can develop as a result of an inadequate feeding pattern. It can lead not only to macrocytic anaemia but also to severe neurological abnormalities.