What dietary recommendations should I provide to parents to help prevent vitamin D deficiency in children?

Advise parents to ensure children have a diet that includes calcium-rich foods, as recommended by the British Dietetic Association and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, to support bone health and prevent deficiency ¹.

For children aged 0–12 months, if they are breastfed or partially breastfed, recommend daily vitamin D drops of 8.5–10 micrograms (340–400 IU) from birth, especially if the mother has not taken vitamin D supplements during pregnancy ¹.

Children aged 1–4 years should be given vitamin D supplements containing 10 micrograms (400 IU) daily, regardless of feeding method, to prevent rickets ¹.

Children who consume more than 500 mL of fortified infant formula daily do not need additional vitamin D supplements, as formula milk is already fortified ¹.

Encourage a safe amount of sunlight exposure, such as short periods on often-exposed skin, while avoiding sunburn, especially in skin not usually exposed to sunlight, and considering longer exposure for children with darker skin pigmentation ¹.

Advise that vitamin D supplements can be purchased over the counter for children at risk of deficiency, and that free supplements are available through the NHS Healthy Start scheme for eligible families ¹.