http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22751898

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012 Jul 1;166(7):684.

Vitamin d and bone health.

Moreno MA, Furtner F, Rivara FP.

Vitamin D is a vitamin that helps the body absorb and use calcium. Calcium and vitamin D help the bones grow and keep them strong. Most children get vitamin D from 3 potential sources:

1. Sunlight: Sunlight helps the body make vitamin D. Playing outside in sunlight about 15 minutes a few times a week helps the body to make vitamin D.
2. Fortified milk and juice: Most milk and many juices today have vitamin D added to them to make them “fortified” with vitamin D.
3. Foods: Only a few foods contain naturally occurring vitamin D; these include cod liver oil, egg yolks, and fatty fish such as salmon.

Vitamin D is needed by children of all ages, from newborn babies to adolescents. The current recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics is for all children to get 400 IU/d of vitamin D each day.