Vitamin D Deficiency in Children with Psychiatric Illness in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D is increasingly recognized as important for brain health, apart from its role in endocrine and bone health. There is a growing recognition of worldwide “epidemic” of Vitamin D deficiency, and growing data from adult population illustrate the association between Vitamin D deficiency and psychiatric disorders. In children, its role is implicated in brain development, function, and psychiatric disorders. AIM: The aim of this study was to study the extent of Vitamin D deficiency in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective chart review of participants, who had attended the psychiatry outpatient department, was conducted to ascertain the extent of blood Vitamin D level requisition and its level. RESULTS: Out of 836, 60 participants had received the requisition for blood Vitamin D level, and results were documented for 40 participants (males – 28; females – 12). No specific reason was cited for getting Vitamin D level done. The mean Vitamin D level was in the deficient range, i.e. 13.34 ng/ml with 80% of the sample having Vitamin D deficiency and 13% having insufficient Vitamin D level. More males had Vitamin D deficiency, however, the small number of females in the study limits the generalizability of the results. Among the diagnostic categories, neurodevelopmental disorders had lower mean Vitamin D level, with lowest Vitamin D for autism, i.e., 10.9 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: The cause-effect relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and childhood psychiatric disorders could not be derived from the study. However, it provides important initial data for the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and childhood psychiatric disorders from India.