By Raising Children Network
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Children playing at the beach with mum

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It’s quite common for people to have vitamin D deficiency in winter. In fact, many people lose bone density at this time of year.
Vitamin D helps bones grow, develop properly and stay strong. Children get most of their vitamin D from sunlight as well as a small amount from some foods. If you’re worried your child has a vitamin D deficiency, this guide will give you some ideas.

Why children and adults need vitamin D

Children need vitamin D for bone growth and development. So do babies developing in the womb. This is because vitamin D helps us absorb calcium.




Vitamin D and sunlight

You need sunlight on your skin for your body to make vitamin D. You get about 80% of your vitamin D this way.

The amount of sun you need depends on where you live in Australia and the time of year.

But no matter where you live, you have to be careful about how much sun you get on your skin. Too much sun can lead to sunburn, skin damage and even skin cancer.

The picture below shows how much sun should be enough to help your body make vitamin D, without putting your skin at risk of sun damage.


Image courtesy of Cancer Council Australia.

Other factors affecting how much sun you need

It’s important to note that there is no conclusive Australian or New Zealand data on how much sun children need for good levels of vitamin D.

To get more information and advice about how much sun is right for you, speak with your GP.

Be sun smart
Spending too long in the sun isn’t good for your skin, so it’s important to use sun protection.


Vitamin D and food

Most children won’t get enough vitamin D from food alone.


Foods naturally containing vitamin D include fresh fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines), liver, mushrooms and egg yolks.

Some foods have vitamin D added to them. These include margarine and some low-fat milk and dairy products. All infant formula contains vitamin D.

You can boost the benefits of being out in the sun for a little while each day by doing some physical activity while you’re there. This is because daily exercise helps your body make vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency

Children might be at risk of vitamin D deficiency if they:

  • keep all their skin covered
  • have a condition affecting how the body controls vitamin D levels – for example, liver disease, kidney disease, problems with absorbing food (such as coeliac disease or cystic fibrosis and some medicines can affect vitamin D levels
  • have darker skin


Treating vitamin D deficiency






You can also talk to a dietitian about vitamin D supplements.

Solariums aren’t recommended as way to improve vitamin D levels or to treat vitamin D deficiency. Solariums can cause skin cancer.

Vitamin D, pregnancy and breastfeeding


If a pregnant woman has low levels of vitamin D, she might not pass on enough vitamin D to her baby.

Breastfeeding babies don’t get much vitamin D from breastmilk, because breastmilk doesn’t have much. And if a breastfeeding mum has low vitamin D, it can be even harder for her baby to get enough vitamin D. It’s even trickier if the breastfeeding mum lives further south in Australia and it’s winter.

If you have any concerns about whether your baby is getting enough vitamin D, you can talk with your GP about using a vitamin D supplement. Doctors often say a daily supplement of 400 micrograms (μg) is good for mothers who are breastfeeding babies at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

It’s still OK for you to breastfeed your baby if you’re taking a vitamin D supplement.



  • Last updated or reviewed 25-08-2014