Use of Vitamin D Bolus in Fortified Juice for Improving Vitamin D Status in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at risk of poor nutrition due to a number of factors. Feeding, eating, drinking, and swallowing (FEDS) problems are common in these children and may result in protein-calorie malnutrition usually accompanied by micronutrient deficiencies. Vitamin D is among the elements whose uptake is obstructed. Insufficient exposure to solar radiation in children and adolescents with CP adds to further decreasing serum vitamin D levels thus potentially affecting growth, bone density, and muscle function. Since maintaining long-term adherence to daily oral administration of vitamin D in this population is often difficult, bolus therapy by using vitamin D-fortified products could be an alternative way of effective and safe vitamin D intake.

Purpose: Assessing the efficacy of administration of bolus vitamin D in fortified juice for increasing 25(OH)D levels in a group of 15 children with CP.

Results: The juice was well tolerated, and a significant increase in 25(OH)D levels was observed from 54.1 to 110.3 nmol/L (p < 0.0001) 4 weeks after the administration without any case of hypercalcemia.

Conclusion: Bolus therapy with vitamin D₃-fortified juice is well tolerated and effectively increases 25(OH)D levels in children with CP.