Guide To Vitamin A Deficiency Symptoms

Delayed Growth

Vitamin A is imperative to the proper development and growth of the human body as a whole, and numerous studies have proven a link between poor child growth and severe deficiency of vitamin A. However, the exact mechanism behind this association is not yet fully understood. Children who experience other common symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency, like xerophthalmia, have less linear growth and weight gain than healthy children of the same age. The mechanism is thought to be involved with the cell replication and differentiation promoting effects that vitamin A has on multiple types of tissues around the body. Children who have experienced stunted growth as a result of their vitamin A deficiency can benefit from supplementation. Vitamin A supplementation in some children has proven to be able to reverse their stunted growth caused by their vitamin A deficiency.

Bitot's Spots

First described in 1863, Bitot's spots are deposits of keratin that form on the conjunctiva of the eyes. A vitamin A deficiency is the most common cause of these spots, and they are frequently found in pediatric patients in the developing world. Untreated Bitot's spots could lead to blindness. To assess these spots, the doctor will begin by performing a general physical examination. They will check the patient's weight and build to determine whether malnutrition or malabsorption could be present, and the physician will also need to palpate the patient's abdomen to detect potential liver enlargement. A detailed eye examination will likely include the Schirmer test, lissamine green staining, and conjunctival impression cytology to obtain more information about the health of the ocular surface. Bitot's spots typically respond well to treatment with high doses of vitamin A, and most patients experience a significant improvement in the spots within two weeks of beginning treatment.