CMPA - Calcium help needed?!

[cjt110]

Hi all,

Further to my sons diagnosis, we are being referred to a dietician to check DS (1yo) is getting the right amount of calcium. A friend who is the same GP and livs down the road from me said it took them 4 months to get a referral. Well in my mind, a lot of damage can be done to growing bones in 4 months if they dont get the good stuff they need.

I read somewhere that at his age, DS needs 700mg of calcium a day. I read that his milk (Aptimil Pepti 2) gives 60mg per 100ml. So he gets approx half of his calcium intake from his bottles (he has 3 6oz bottles of milk). He eats Cheerios for breakfast which I know also contain calcium. What else can I do to make sure he gets the right allowance?

Can anyone help me with this?

between 1 and 3 it's 350mg of calcium per day

www.jfhc.co.uk/Childrens_bone_health_and_meeting_calcium_needs_20943.aspx - gives some info about required calcium by age groups

Thanks pixie :)

Hi, I am in the same boat and can verify that it is VITAL to ensure calcium needs are met as my DS has dropped from 75 centile to between the 25th and 9th centile for height (75th still for everything else) I have read many studies suggesting that height is influenced by calcium intake and that if children on dairy free diets are shorter on average as a result of lacking in vit D and calcium. Our dietician has been useless and just keeps fobbing me off but my son is also allergic to lots of the other foods that contain calcium and I am at my wits end with worry. I am not sure I agree with the calcium requirements for 1-3 years being only 300mg as I have seen both 500mg and 700mg on US websites so I think there is some contention! What I would say is that Nutricia make a spoon able calcium enriched non dairy milk thing called Neocate Spoon which we have on order, and they also make a multivitamin called Seravit which again very expensive but we are desperate and they wont prescribe down here, which is also high in calcium. I have heard the 'what no dairy' yoghurt type desserts are loaded with it and Koko milk also has the same amount of calcium in as whole cows milk! Has your LO dropped down the centilea for height at all?

We were prescribed Cacit - dissolve in water; it is fizzy so not easy at first to get ds to take. When older I switched to buying chewy supplements.

A bowl of porridge made with calcium enriched non dairy milk will give almost his full daily calcium requirement.

Sesame seeds are also good for calcium so humous is a good lunch choice. Serve broccoli and other green veg with dinner as they are also good calcium sources.

this is useful

Note the porridge calcium content, my DS loves it fortunately.