22. Vitamin A supplementation
22. Vitamin A supplementation
Last update: 2022-09-14
Overview
- Vitamin A is vital for a child’s healthy development.
- Vitamin A is usually provided by foods such as liver, dairy products and eggs.
- Sometimes, children do not have enough vitamin A in their diet and are at risk of becoming very sick if they have measles, malaria or diarrhoea.
- Lack of vitamin A can also cause eye problems and even blindness.
How to give vitamin A supplements |
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What you can do
- Make sure you know your National Society’s policy on when volunteers may give vitamin A to children. Follow the policy.
- Conduct social mobilization activities before a vaccination campaign (see Action tool Mass vaccination campaigns) to tell the community about vitamin A supplementation.
- Coordinate with health professionals from your local health facilities. They can tell you how to administer vitamin A and what doses to give.
- Make sure a good plan is prepared for providing vitamin A supplements.
- Make sure all children from the ages of six months to five years are given vitamin A correctly.
- Register all children to whom you administer vitamin A and make sure that you do not give a child two doses.