Does anyone have DC on prescribed calcium supplements? Can you tell me what kind they are and how many mg of calcium they are?

[MaliceAlice]

DD is egg, dairy and soya free and can't have oatly milk either. The dietician said that she needs calcium supplements because she isn't getting enough through her daily diet (we are trying!) and that the GP should prescribe them. The GP said that either the dietician or the allergy specialist (who we don't see for another 9 weeks) should prescribe them so we are going in circles until we see the specialist who, I hope, will sort us out.

In the meantime the dietician and the GP have advised us to keep her on the supplements we are currently buying here even though they only have 250mg and the dietician wants DD to be getting 350mg each day.

Just wondering what other children are on and what, if anything, we are likely to be prescribed. They are £5 a bottle for the Haliborange ones so would really like to get some prescribed!

Baby Can I ask why? Is it that they are the ones that your DC prefer or is it that docs have refused to prescribe something?

Marking place for dairy and soya free dd whom I struggle with

Why can't she have Oatly?
Have you tried the (v expensive) tropicana orange juice with calcium? It's same amount as the fortified Oatly and soya milks.

I make muffins with fortified milk, jelly with the stuff and throw Oatly choc milk down dd neck! Still barely manage her 450,mg a day (she is 5)

I do give her a vitamin against dietician advice.

Shattered She can't tolerate the Oatly milk, we've tried a few times now. Never thought of fortified orange juice. Just googled and it says 200ml gives 244mg of calcium, so that is quite lot of calcium in it. She is only just 3 though so I doubt she would drink more than 50ml in one go and too much fruit gives her the runs so might need to limit it. Worth a try though.
Which vitamin doe you give out of interest?

DD1 (6) is Dairy and Soya free, we saw a dietician specifically because we were concerned about her calcium intake.

The dietician wrote to the GP and requested Calcium Sandoz syrup and she has 20mls daily. (15ml provides 325mg calcium (I refuse to do any further maths at this time of night!)).

The GP was happy to write the presciption from the recommendation.

Good luck it's always a worry with diet restrictions, we didn't start dd1 on supplements wtil recently, but I think dd3 is also heading that was too.

Thanks Doris that's useful to know, I have never heard of the syrup. Does it taste ok? Would a toddler accept it do you think? To be fair, she is very good and takes medicines and things really well.

Part of why we want to have it prescribed is because, like you, it looks like the younger DD is starting with the same problems and if they both end up on calcium supplements that we have to buy each month its going to cost a fortune!

I use boots own strawberry chewable a-z not sure what they cost as I just pick up 3 at time on 3 for 2

Your dd is too young for rice milk.
Other choices are almond milk, but also more ££. I water down the tropicana, she has 100ml a day. Plus 150ml Oatly on cereal. Plus her vitamin.

Ok got off my lazy butt and dug out my last dietician info.

High sources
Calcium oj.
Calcium water such as Danone activ (haven't found this but only got sheet last week)
100g of Tinned salmon 280mg and sardines 500mg
Ready to eat figs 50g have 120mg
150g baked beans have 80mg

Other sources so include as often as poss
An Orange
Dried apricots
Broccoli
Spinach (I get waitrose frozen and drop a couple of cubes in everything
Almonds
Peanuts
Sesame seeds
Tofu
2 slices White 75mg and wholemeall bread 40mg

Well this made me sit and add up dd intake.
I struggle to get 450mg a day into her. Each year they get older, they require loads more. She will drink more but our sources are limited.

I too want to get her a supplement. I'm going to insist at next dietician appt.
The quantity in the one Doris has would make life so much easier! AND vastly reduce the amount of sugar dd has in order to get the damn calcium drinks in.

I think DD does get some in addition to the haliborange, from veg and baked beans and bread mostly, just not enough according to the dietician.

If she has beans on toast then the 1/4 tin (100g) of beans gives about 52mg of calcium and the slice of white bread gives about 60mg, so thats a good meal calcium wise giving about 112mg out of the 350mg required but she doesn't have that every day though she would if she could

I try to make sure she has a fortified cereal at breakfast (has it with water on it, her choice) and that she gets broccoli, carrots or green beans every day.
The problem is that she just doesn't eat much so whilst broccoli has about 40mg of calcium in each 100g she only eats two or maybe three small pieces in a meal.

Dh and I just worked out there is approx 26mg in a 200ml glass of London tap water..........

Shattered Are these the ones you use from Boots? Do they have calcium in them? The a-z vitamins I looked at in Boot didn't have calcium in them.

Just wondering because they are a lot cheaper than the Haliborange ones we are buying so if they had the same amount of calcium in them we could switch maybe.

Well, she does drink a lot of water but we are in a soft water area so probably not that great for calcium!

Yes they are the right ones, just read on label there is 120mg per tablet! Blimey I am pleasantly surprised!

Thanks for checking that Shattered, she'd need two of those to get the same amount as the Haliborange ones though so any cost saving would be lost. Though she'd have a lot of all the other vitamins and minerals on 2 a day!

Someone mentioned Calcium Sandoz syrup -- that's what my DS has. It's a very sweet syrup and he loved it immediately. You're meant to give it in two separate doses, otherwise it can cause tummy ache. Despite being prescribed 20ml daily I only use it to top up his intake from other sources. So on the days he doesn't have a whole tin of sardines (twice a week and I thank god it's his favourite food) I give him whatever it takes to reach 350mg (he's 2).

Oh, and it was prescribed by our paediatrician, not the GP (but I think he would have anyway, considering DS's long long list of allergies)

Thanks Garlic, I'll ask for that when we see the peads consultant and see if we can have it. It sounds like the best solution.

The haliborange ones are fine for now but as she gets older she'd need a few per day and tat makes them a very expensive option.

My DS had Calcium Sandoz syrup too on the advice of the dietician but prescribed by the GP. Hope it helps.