Community Nutrition

COMMUNITY NUTRITION 3 (1+2)

Lesson 9 : Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD)

Treatment

• Immediately on diagnosis, an oral dose of 200,000 IU of oil miscible vitamin A should be given to children in the age group of 1-6 years.
• In the case of those with persisting vomiting and diarrhea an intra masculary injection of 1,00,000 IU of water miscible vitamin A can be substituted for the oral dose.
• Xerophthalmic children with severe protein energy malnutrition should be closely monitored. They may require additional doses of Vitamin A.
• In case of women in the reproductive age with either night blindness and /or Bitot’s spot, a daily oral dose of 10,000 IU of vitamin A in oil is recommended for 2 weeks. Pregnant women unless absolutely essential, should not be given large doses of Vit A because of teratogenic risk to the fetus.