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HEALTH FAMILY PROBLEMS RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION & CAREER I am the mother of two children. I have a son who is eight years old and a daughter who is seven. I am by nature a worrier and find myself fretting about their health all the time. As babies I was unable to give them fresh milk or a suitable healthy alternative. So I now worry about the detrimental effects this could have had on their health in later life. I am also concerned because we store our food in the same place as some very large batteries. At times the storage room overheats and the batteries give off a foul smelling gas. We are short of space, and my husband insists on us keeping the batteries as we experience frequent power cuts here. However, I am convinced the fumes are somehow seeping into our food. My daughter is always complaining about stomach upsets and my son bruises very easily. Do you think this is because my children never had enough milk when they were small, and that the batteries are contaminating our food? Maria, Tanzania Advice Dr Mark Hamilton: *It’s not necessarily the milk that's important, but it’s the nutrients in milk that are vital to the development of a child. Children can get these vitamins and minerals in other food products such as vegetables and yoghurt. *Maria only has to worry about her children’s health if she did not give them a diet which contained the mineral calcium. A lack of calcium can cause bone disease, such as rickets. A lack of vitamin K can cause blood clotting which shows in bruising on the skin, and Maria’s son, she says, bruises easily so she needs to go to her doctor to find out why? *Remember it is never to late to start giving your children a good balanced healthy diet. Children and Adults are very adaptable, we can store nutrients and vitamins that we need in our body for later use. So, what I would say is if Maria can come up with a good diet, she should start it now. *Batteries can give off fumes, it’s normally a sulphuric compound, and they can be absorbed by certain types of food such as dry and fresh foods. Such foods can be contaminated by any chemicals stored in the same area. Maria must stop storing her food with batteries because it is also a question of food hygiene. Her daughters stomach upsets could be caused by chemicals which have leaked into the food she is eating. If Maria is concerned with her daughter’s health she must address this and store the batteries separately to the food. The What's the Problem? website is providing general information only. It should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the What's the Problem? website. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.		FURTHER INFORMATION   VITAMINS... VITAMIN A: Best Source: Green leafy vegetables, yellow, orange and red fleshed fruits, liver and dairy produce. Symptoms of Deficiency: Night blindness, dry and scaly skin, frequent fatigue. What vitamin A used for? Building and maintenance of skin and hair, bones and teeth. It also aids sight in poor light. VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE) Best Sources Whole grains, meats rice and pasta and fortified cereals. Symptoms of Deficiency: Nerve disorders, mental confusion, heart irregularity and fatigue. What is Vitamin B1 - Thiamine used for? Is needed for metabolising carbohydrate. VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN) Best Sources Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, offal, dairy products and eggs. Symptoms of Deficiency: Cracks in corner of mouth, skin rash and anaemia. What is Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin used for? Is needed for metabolising carbohydrate, protein and fats. VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE) Best Sources Avocados, beans, prunes, whole grains, fish, poultry and lean meats. Symptoms of Deficiency: Convulsion, dermatitis , muscular weakness, skin cracks and anaemia. What is Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine used for? Builds body tissue and aids in the metabolism of protein. VITAMIN B12 (COBALAMIN) Best Sources Dairy products, seafood and meats. Symptoms of Deficiency: Anaemia, nervousness and fatigue. What is vitamin B12 - Cobalamin used for? Cell function & development. VITAMIN C Best Sources Citrus fruits, berries, skins of new potatoes and red peppers. Symptoms of Deficiency: More commonly known as scurvy with symptoms of: bleeding or sore gums, slow wound healing, fatigue, depression and poor digestion. What is vitamin C used for? Needed for the absorption of Iron. Also keeps the structure of the bodies blood, bone and muscle system in condition. VITAMIN D Best Sources Sunlight, fish, eggs, dairy products and fortified margarine. Symptoms of Deficiency: Bone deformities in children and calcium loss as adults. What is vitamin D used for? Needed in the formation of bones and teeth. Also necessary to maintain heart and nervous system function. VITAMIN E Best Sources Whole/multi-grain cereals, nuts, vegetable oil and green leafy vegetables. Symptoms of Deficiency: Reproduction failure, muscular wasting and anaemia. What is vitamin E used for? Protects the body from destruction from harmful agents. VITAMIN K Best Sources Green leafy vegetables, dairy products, fruit, bread, pasta and other grain products. Symptoms of Deficiency: Blood clotting disorders. What is vitamin D used for? Vitamin K is needed in the liver to make the proteins that make the blood clot. Please consult your Doctor regarding your country’s recommended daily intake of vitamins. It can be very dangerous to exceed the recommended daily intake - always check.    INTERNET LINKS DERMATOLOGY VITAMINS   VITAMIN TABLE   The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites