Taylor Davison, from Newcastle, had an illness which had left his doctors puzzled. According to this report, his mother Stephanie Rossiter said, “Taylor confused them all and they called him the mystery boy.”
For the longest time they believed that he was suffering from a mitochondrial disease. The doctors thought that Taylor would be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life before succumbing to an early death. But then they did genetic testing on the boy and they were in for a shock. He was actually suffering from vitamin B7 deficiency which is absolutely curable.
What’s more, post receiving the correct treatment, little Taylor is absolutely fine. Going by this report, his mom stated that, “We thought Taylor would die but now he is doing everything other kids do.”
Apparently, Taylor’s symptoms cropped up out of the blue. He was suddenly unable to stand or hold himself up and was rushed to the hospital. Looking at his symptoms, the doctors said that he could be suffering from mitochondrial disease. However, the genetic testing revealed that Taylor was just deficient in vitamin B7.
Continue reading to understand vitamin B deficiency in children and how to avoid it.
Common symptoms of vitamin B deficiency
Vitamin B7 is a form of vitamin B complex. It is an important vitamin required for synthesising carbohydrates and fatty acids in the human body. Dr Himanshi Kashyap, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics and Neonatology, VPS Rockland Hospital, Manesar, India, states that, “Typically, symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include poor feeding, weight loss and irritability; glossitis and infections have also been reported. However, it is the neurologic manifestations which is most concerning. Central nervous system symptoms can be severe, beginning with irritability, apathy, lethargy and gross motor developmental regression.”
When we spoke with Lalitha Subramanyam, Chief Nutritionist, Grow Fit, she revealed that, “Biotin or vitamin B7 deficiency may be manifested in the form of hair loss or alopecia, poor muscular tone, poor cognitive skills and vision abnormalities. These symptoms also overlap with vitamin B deficiency in general.” Some of the symptoms parents need to watch out for are:
- Dermatitis
- Seizures
- Developmental delay or regression
- Hypotonia (decreased muscle tone)
- Weakness, tremors and involuntary muscle movements
- Anorexia and other eating disorders
- Poor weight and height gain
- Poor head growth
- Language delay
- Speech problems
- Lower IQ – Intellectual disability
- Anaemia
- Vision abnormalities
Can it be replenished through food?
Any form of nutritional deficiency will throw up myriad complications. While some may seem minor, it’s essential to address them at the earliest by consulting a physician. It goes unsaid that a balanced diet is key for the healthy growth of a child. Here are some rich natural sources of vitamin B:
- Fortified cereals
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Fish like mackerel and salmon
- Low fat dairy products or skim milk
- Eggs
Eat healthy, stay healthy! When in doubt, consult a specialist. The last thing you want to blame yourself for is self-medication for seemingly minor concerns.
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