A common problem in infants: vitamin B12 deficiency

• Published in: Turkish journal of pediatrics Vol. 65; no. 6; pp. 931 - 938
• Main Authors: Kılcı, Ceren, Olcay, Lale
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ankara Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine 01.11.2023
• Subjects: Anemia; Automation; Breastfeeding & lactation; Celiac disease; Families & family life; Food; Gastrointestinal surgery; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Iron; Milk; Mothers; Nervous system; Outpatient care facilities; Patients; Pediatrics; Prevention; Statistical analysis; Vegetarianism
• ISSN: 0041-4301
• DOI: 10.24953/turkjped.2022.399

Prevention and early treatment are necessary to prevent irreversible neurological damage, especially in infants.1 VB12 deficiency, may be due to nonconsumption or inadequate consumption of animal foods such as dairy products/ insufficient consumption of meat, milk (because of vegetarianism, poverty) or malabsorption (e.g., pernicious anemia, achlorhydria, ileum damage or gastric bypass surgery).2 Mothers who are vegetarians have low levels of VB12 in both their serum and breast milk. Material and Methods Children between the ages of 0-7 years who were diagnosed with and treated for VB12 deficiency at Başkent University Pediatric Hematology outpatient clinic between January 2015 - February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed through the hospital automation system. Prior to treatment, other tests such as folic acid levels, urine protein, coeliac auto antibodies, maternal VB12 level (serum), parasite in the stool (3 times in a row), Helicobacter pylori antigen in the stool were also evaluated. History of food allergy (cow's milk and multiple food) and prematurity were also striking in 10% and 3.2% of patients respectively (Table II).