Patient's question:
Symptom Description: The child has poor appetite, night sweats, and occasional night terrors. There was a slight pectoral deformity in the past. Treatment history and effectiveness: Took Sanjing gluconate calcium for a period of time. What help is desired: What kind of calcium preparation is more beneficial for the child's absorption?Doctor's answer:
Many parents, when supplementing calcium for their children, only know that they should consume calcium but are unaware of the amount of calcium they are taking. In nutrition, the recommended calcium intake for children refers to the net content of calcium element in calcium supplements, not the amount of calcium compounds. For example, the net content of calcium element in natural milk calcium is 24%–28%, in calcium lactate is 13.0%, and in calcium carbonate is 40.0%. There are many types of calcium supplements. When choosing a calcium supplement, in addition to considering whether its net calcium content is high, it is also necessary to comprehensively evaluate its impact on the human body. For instance, calcium sources derived from marine shells may contain heavy metals harmful to the human body due to the strong adsorption ability of marine mollusks, making them unsuitable for children. Additionally, some calcium sources may cause significant gastrointestinal irritation, often leading to symptoms such as gastrointestinal discomfort and constipation. Currently, the most suitable calcium sources for children include natural milk calcium (extracted from milk) and L-lactate calcium, among others.