You would have heard a few things about Vitamin K. Most people believe that Vitamin K is potassium. Unfortunately, that is not true. Vitamin K is a vitamin, like other vitamins, hence the name. Potassium sure is essential for the body, but it is a mineral.
If you were wondering what Vitamin K is and why it is crucial for babies, don’t fret. Follow along, and you’ll get to know exactly what you need to understand about the importance of a Vitamin K shot and its dose for babies.
In This Article
- Importance of Vitamin K Shot in Babies
- Babies are Born with Vitamin K Deficiency
- Chances of a Baby Developing Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
- Kinds of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
- Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency in Babies
- Treatment of Vitamin K Deficiency in Babies – Best is Vitamin K Shot
- Vitamin K Shot Dose
- Side Effects of Vitamin K Shot
- FAQ’s
Importance of Vitamin K Shot in Babies
Like every other vitamin, vitamin K is important for our body. When it comes to blood clotting, maintaining calcium levels in the blood, and bone metabolism, vitamin K plays a vital role. Vitamin K helps the body produce prothrombin, a protein and a factor that helps blood clot.
When a baby is born, there can be many complications. One of them is Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB). Although it is rare, if a baby is facing it, it bleeds uncontrollably. The bleeding doesn’t stop as the baby is deficient in vitamin K.
Here is one more thing to know about it. Babies do not get enough vitamin K from their mothers, not even from breast milk. So, if newborns start bleeding due to its deficiency, it is difficult to stop.
Babies are Born with Vitamin K Deficiency
All newborns are vitamin K deficient. The baby does not get enough vitamin K from the mother as it does not pass through the placenta easily. And as mentioned earlier, breast milk contains small amounts of vitamin K. So, babies need to be supplied with vitamin K from outside.
Chances of a Baby Developing Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
Almost every newborn is likely to develop Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding till they start eating regular food. That is when the bacteria in our intestines start making our own vitamin K. Till then, babies can be vitamin k deficient. It is also called Haemorrhagic Disease of New-Borns. There are other factors as well:
- Babies get little vitamin K from their mothers at birth.
- Certain seizure control drugs taken during pregnancy can affect how the body manages vitamin K.
- Breastmilk is not rich in vitamin K. The first breastfeed that is rich in colostrum and the hind-feed (at the end) can provide good amounts of vitamin K. But it doesn’t meet the requirements.
- Breastfed babies who have had health problems, especially liver disease, can have a hard time absorbing the nutrients. So, they may be deficient in vitamin K and at risk of developing VKDB.
- Babies that are sick, weak, premature babies, and those born via surgery (caesarian) are at a higher risk of developing Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding.
Kinds of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding
VKDB usually occurs in the first week after birth. It may damage internal organs and cause internal bleeding, which can be fatal. There are three kinds of VKDB:
Early VKDB
- 1 in 60 newborns suffers from this
- It is severe
- Happens within 24 hours after birth
Classical VKDB
- 1 in 250 newborns suffers from this
- Not that severe
- Happens between 1-7 days after birth
Late VKDB
- 1 of 14000 cases
- Happens 2-12 weeks after birth, but can occur till 6 months
- Bleeding symptoms or warnings are rare
- Babies who haven’t had vitamin K shots tend to have this
Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency in Babies
The first way of checking whether a baby is vitamin k deficient or not is by looking for the symptoms. These are the symptoms that you need to look out for:
- Bleeding nose
- Scars and bruises on the head
- Paling of skin and gums
- Blood in feces and vomits
If the baby is vomiting frequently with blood in it, it may be bleeding in the brain. You should seek help from a doctor if you observe any of the above symptoms in your baby.
Treatment of Vitamin K Deficiency in Babies – Best is Vitamin K Shot
For a newborn breastfeeding baby, the only source of nutrients is the mother’s milk. So as a mother, you can:
- Take multivitamin pills
- Eat food that is rich in vitamin K
- Take vitamin K supplements
But all these measures don’t enrich the breast milk with vitamin K to a level that the baby requires. Breastmilk can never be enough, even if you are taking all the supplements.
The best way to ensure that the baby is not vitamin K deficient till it starts eating normal food is a Vitamin K shot right after the baby is born. There is an option of oral vitamin K drops as well, but it is not as effective as the shot.
Vitamin K Shot Dose
The vitamin K shot is an intramuscular injection, given on the right thigh. One vitamin K shot is good enough for several months. The oral drops need three doses for breastfed babies, and two doses for bottle-fed babies. We recommend the vitamin K shot over the oral drops as it is more effective than the oral drops
Side Effects of Vitamin K Shot
Like every other vaccine, this also has some ill effects. Here are some of the vitamin K shot side effects:
- Pain at the site of injection
- Swelling
- Uneasiness
- Scarring of the skin where the needle is injected
So far, there has been only one case where the baby suffered from an allergic reaction. So, any chance of a severe reaction due to a vitamin K shot is negligible. Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding can be fatal, if not taken care of early on. So, we would highly recommend getting this shot at birth. It is a good safety net to have.
FAQ’s
1. How Soon After Birth Do Babies Get Vitamin K Shot?
All newborns, whether breastfed or formula fed, should have a single intramuscular injection of vitamin K during the first six hours of life, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2. Is Vitamin K Newborn Injection Better Than Oral?
Vitamin K injections prevent infant hemorrhagic illness (HDN). Oral vitamin K is less effective. Your infant may take liquid vitamin K drops instead of an injection. Oral vitamin K drops are not as efficiently absorbed as injectable vitamin K, thus 3 doses are required.
3. Can You Refuse A Vitamin K Shot At Birth?
Some parents avoid the Vitamin K injection because they believe falsehoods about its safety, despite the fact that it is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is not recommended to do this. Insufficient vitamin K prevents the formation of clotting factors in infants. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding, or VKDB occurs when the body experiences excessive bleeding due to insufficient amounts of vitamin K.
