[Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency: cause for neurological symptoms in infancy].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Symptoms of Vitamin B (12) deficiency in infancy include growth retardation, regression of psychomotor development, muscular hypotonia and brain atrophy. Besides an inappropriate vegetarian diet of the infants, a vegan diet or a pernicious anaemia of the mother may lead to an insufficient vitamin B (12) supply of the child.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

We report here the neurological symptoms of 4 fully breast-fed infants from mothers on vegan diet or with pernicious anaemia.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

Vitamin B (12) deficiency can easily be diagnosed by detection of methylmalonic acid when measuring the organic acids in urine. Vitamin B (12) deficiency should be avoided or diagnosed as early as possible since a supplementation of mother and child can prevent neurological symptoms of the baby. Furthermore, the neurological symptoms of the infant with manifest vitamin B (12) deficiency are (partially) reversible.

• Authors: T Lücke, G C Korenke, I Poggenburg, K H P Bentele, A M Das, H Hartmann
• Journal: Zeitschrift fur Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie (Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol) Vol. 211 Issue 4 Pg. 157-61 (Aug 2007) ISSN: 0948-2393 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Mütterlicher Vitamin-B12-Mangel: Ursache neurologischer Symptomatik im Säuglingsalter.
• PMID: 17729202 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Breast Feeding (adverse effects)
• Child
• Diet, Vegetarian (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Maternal-Fetal Exchange
• Mothers
• Nervous System Diseases (diagnosis, etiology)
• Pregnancy
• Vitamin B 12 Deficiency (complications, diagnosis)