Case Report

J Korean Soc Pediatr Endocrinol. 2006; 11(2): 205-208.

A Case of Hypocalcemia due to Vitamin D Deficiency in Exclusively Breast-fed Infant.

Su Nam Bae, Eui Jung Rho, Jae Woo Lim, Eun Jung Cheon, Kyong Og Ko, and Young Hyuk Lee

Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejon, Korea. kokojh@empal.com

Hypocalcemia is due to Hypoparathyroidism, Vitamin D deficiency, Hypomagnesemia, Inadequate calcium intake. The benefits of breast-feeding are well established. There are no need to supply calcium or Vitamin D in breast-fed infant. We report a case of infantile hypocalcemia caused by Vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breast-fed infant. He had no hypocalcemic symptom and hypocalcemia was found incidentally by routine laboratory tests during pneumonia treatment. He was presented with a low serum calcium level and 1,25(OH)2 Vit D3 level and high PTH. He was improved by Calcium and Vitamin D supplement. After then his mother continued breast feeding exclusively and resisted to feed her baby weaning food. During follow up period, hypocalcemia was recheked after discontinuation of vitamin D supplement. At 11 months of age, the calcium level was normal without vitamin D supplement after he had eaten weaning food. This report describes a case of hypocalcemia induced by vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breast-fed infant, with review of the literature.

Keywords : Hypocalcemia, Breast-fed infant, Vitamin D deficiency