Make sure you avoid scurvy in your kids

Fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, especially citrus. — Positive Parenting

In the 1730s, there was a son of a rich merchant in Edinburgh, Scotland, called James Lind.

He was a medical trainee who later joined the British Royal Navy as a surgeon assistant.

While he was at sea, he observed that many sailors suffered a strange disease.

The earliest sign among the sailors was fatigue.

Then they started feeling pain at their joints, and their hands and legs became swollen.

Their skin was bruised, their gums were bleeding and their teeth become loose.

Old wounds reopened and were more difficult to heal.

Many sailors later died due to bleeding in their heart or brain.

In 1747, while sailing on the HMS Salisbury ship, Dr Lind ran the first controlled clinical trial recorded in the history of medical science.

Twelve crew members with similar symptoms were divided into six pairs.

Every pair received a different treatment.

The treatments given were garlic, mustard seeds, vinegar, seawater, oranges and lemons respectively.

Within only a week, the pairs treated with the citrus fruits (i.e. oranges and lemons) were healed from their symptoms.

The administrators of the British Royal Navy then ordered the distribution of lemon juice to all sailors.

Since then, scurvy was never seen again among the British Royal Navy.

The cause of scurvy

Scurvy is a disease caused by the lack of vitamin C.

Without vitamin C in our food, the symptoms of scurvy will appear in merely a month.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which is easily excreted from our body through urine.

It is also known as ascorbic acid and is easily destroyed by heat.

Hence, cooking or processing food at high temperatures will destroy the vitamin C contained in the food.

Unlike other animals, we humans are not capable of producing vitamin C in our body because we do not have the enzyme gulonolactone oxidase that converts glucose into ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Thus, we require vitamin C from food sources such as fresh vegetables, fruits or vitamin C supplements.

Vitamin C in our body serves to:

• Help with collagen formation
• Help with wound healing
• Promote skin, bone and dental health
• Support the absorption of iron
• Act as an antioxidant that can help the body fight free radicals
• Boost the body’s immune system.

If we don’t get enough vitamin C, we will experience:

• Bleeding gums
• Easy bruising
• Slow wound healing
• Anaemia (lack of red blood cells)
• Pain and swelling in the legs
• Fatigue
• Mouth ulcers
• Low body weight.

The following groups of children are at a higher risk of vitamin C deficiency:

• Picky eaters, especially autistic children or children with developmental delays, who are highly sensitive towards the shape, taste or texture of foods
• Children with chronic diseases, such as cancer or bowel diseases
• Babies who are only fed with cow milk or plant-based milk
• Children who only eat junk and fast foods
• Children who don’t eat fruits and vegetables
• Children who don’t consume a variety of foods
• Children who are exposed to cigarette smoke.

The daily recommended intake of vitamin C according to age are:

• Infants (birth to five months): 25mg
• Babies (six to 11 months): 30mg
• Pre-school children (one to six years): 30mg
• Children (Seven to nine years): 35mg
• Pre-teens and adolescents (10-18 years): 65mg.

Some of the sources of vitamin C in our foods include:

• Broccoli: 132mg
• Strawberry: 85mg
• Pineapple: 78mg
• Orange: 69.7mg
• Kiwi: 64mg
• Breastmilk: 50 mg/l
• Potato: 19.7mg
• Spinach: 17.6mg
• Tomato: 15.6mg.

Dr La Reina Sangaran is a paediatric rheumatologist. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Paediatric Association’s Positive Parenting programme in collaboration with expert partners. For further information, please email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.