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Sunshine

a drawing of the sun from an Eric Carle coloring book, painted with watercolors by Mikey
Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin (Eric Carle watercolor book, colors added by Mikey)

As we were outside over the 4th of July break, I had the funniest thought.  My kids spend more time outside than any kids I know and BOTH of them had Vitamin D deficiency at some point growing up. It made me think I should share this with all of you in case this might be impacting your kids without you knowing it.

Our golden retriever Max watching the boys when they were tiny in their kiddie pool in the backyard.
Good lifeguarding, Max. LOL

Here’s the deal on Vitamin D.  First, unless you live relatively close to the equator, there is no way you are getting enough Vitamin D from the sun. Likewise, it is almost impossible to get all of your Vitamin D from your diet.  So, my gentle request is that you ask your doctor if your child should be taking a daily Vitamin D supplement.

Will and Mikey laughing as they swing in a hammock in the sun.
Vitamin D is known to boost mood! Just look at these two cracking up in the sunshine.

If your child is having bloodwork done, ask your doctor to check their Vitamin D levels. If they are low, the doctor may prescribe a chewable wafer with a large dose of Vitamin D.  The kids take it weekly for a certain number of weeks and then they continue with a maintenance dose.

Vitamin D helps with mood and bone health, among other things.  Sound like a good plan for moody teens or rough and tumble kiddos? I think so.  Ask your doctor at your child’s next visit.

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Erica Mauro

About the Author

Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 😉

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