AAP Guidelines Recommend Doubling Children's Vitamin D Intake

The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled the recommended daily vitamin D intake from 200 IU to 400 IU for infants, children, and adolescents.

The report, published online in Pediatrics, updates guidelines from 2003. It recommends that the following groups receive daily vitamin D supplements of 400 IU:

• infants who are breast-fed (supplementation should begin in the first days of life and continue until the infant is drinking at least 1 liter of vitamin D–fortified formula or milk daily)

• formula-fed infants and older children who drink less than 1 liter per day of vitamin D–fortified formula or milk

• adolescents who do not consume enough fortified milk and food

Some groups are at higher risk for rickets (e.g., those who are taking anticonvulsants or have darker skin, low sunlight exposure, or chronic fat malabsorption) and, thus, may need more than 400 IU per day.