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Calcium - how much your child needs and where to get it from if your child is dairy-free!

Submitted by Kitty on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 22:40.

As my kids are on a dairy-free diet i've been worried about their calcium levels. I was given a leaflet called 'the calcium story' by the National Dairy Council www.milk.co.uk which is really helpful.

It says that:

Infants under a year need 525mg calcium a day
children aged 1-3 need 350mg
childrne aged 4-6 need 450mg
children aged 7-10 need 550mg
adolescent girls 11-18 years need 800mg
adolescent boys 11-18 need 1000mg
adults need 700mg
breastfeeding mums need an extra 550mg

You can get calcium from sources such as:
bread (white flour is fortified with calcium)
cereal foods
pulses, beans and lentils
green leafy vegetables
dried fruits, nuts and seeds
tinned fish (if you eat the bones)

I also get calcium into my boys by using a dairy-free milk which has added calcium and vitamins. My youngest is deficient in calcium so he takes 'Calcium Sandoz'which you can get on prescription.

HOpe this helps someone.

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