
The West Australian-based Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR) investigated the vitamin D levels of 743 pregnant females and then, at regular intervals, tested the behavioural development of their offspring from the ages of two to 17 years and language development at 5 and 10 years.
Although no association was found between behavioural or emotional problems and maternal Vitamin D levels, the children whose mothers had a deficiency of the vitamin during pregnancy were more likely to suffer language difficulties than those whose mothers did not.
In fact the study, the largest of it’s kind, recently published in the international journal, Pediatrics, found that the offspring of mothers with low levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy, were twice as likely to suffer significant language impairments.
Speech pathologist and mother of two young children, Joanne Blackbourn says the initial findings prompt discussion and, along with the study’s authors, calls for more research into the subject.
Joanne, who operates a private practice on Sydney’s northern beaches, explains the stakes of developmental language disorders are high, as such conditions can negatively affect many areas of a child’s life.
“A child with a language disorder may have limited vocabulary, or difficulty in understanding instructions or expressing themselves clearly, leading to poor interaction skills,” she says.
“In addition, as oral language skills underpin literacy development, children with language disorders are often at a much higher risk of experiencing reading and writing difficulties.”
So although any link between low vitamin D levels during pregnancy and resulting language skills in offspring is still some way off, it’s worth pondering – particularly if you are expecting.
Revisiting undisputed sources of information on Vitamin D deficiency might be a good starting point, along of course with consulting a doctor or registered health professional to discuss any concerns you may have about your health and vitamin levels.
What we do know
Vitamin D is vital to maintaining muscle and bone strength. It’s particularly important that pregnant women get enough vitamin D as it can affect the development of a baby’s bones and, in cases of severe deficiency, lead to a bone condition called rickets.
Who is most at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?
How can low levels of Vitamin D be averted?
References available on request