The following excerpt is quoted from a printed Fact Sheet on Vitamin D developed by the Government of Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services in Inuktitut and English (2005 or 2006). As of June 2006 there wasn’t an on­line version. Vitamin D Important for growing bones and teeth of babies! Rickets
· If babies and small children don’t get enough VITAMIN D they can get a disease called rickets.
· Rickets is a very painful disease. It makes bones get soft and bend.
· Giving VITAMIN D drops to babies will help build strong, healthy bones and prevent rickets! We get VITAMIN D from the sun. In Nunavut we might not get enough VITAMIN D, because sometimes we don’t get any sun, or the right intensity of sun. Babies need more VITAMIN D in the winter when it is dark! Is there VITAMIN D in food? Yes! There is vitamin D in country food (blubber, fish skin, liver & eggs). Vitamin D is in some store bought foods (milk, chocolate milk, some yogurt, eggs, margarine, and canned fish). Babies still need vitamin D drops. Do VITAMIN D drops cause baby teeth to turn brown? No! Vitamin D drops don’t turn baby teeth brown. Vitamin D drops are different than iron drops. There are ways to stop iron drops from turning teeth brown. Talk to your nurse or CHR to find out how.