Can bone density test reflect the baby’s bone development problem? Bone mineral density, or BMD, is the main indicator of bone strength. Bone density test is to determine the bone mineral content of the examined person through the instrument, to determine the growth and development of the bones and to study the physiology, pathology and aging of the bones, as well as to diagnose the impact of various diseases on bone metabolism throughout the body. Generally speaking, only adults over 60 years old with osteoporosis symptoms and those with significant skeletal disorders need to have this test. So, it’s a bit of a stretch to do a bone density test for a baby! Why is it not practical to do a bone density test for babies? 1, there is no international standard value of bone density measurement for children, there is no absolute reference value. 2, each hospital has different instruments, different parts of the measurement of bone density, and different operating methods of doctors, the measurement results will be different. Therefore, it does not accurately reflect the situation of bone calcium metabolism. 3, bone density test value is opposite for adults and babies. Adults have lower bone density, indicating that the bones may lack calcium; but for babies, especially infants, low bone density indicates vigorous growth. How to look at baby’s BMD value correctly? Some mothers say that when they take their baby for a physical examination, the doctor will ask for a bone density test. Well, so be it, most of the tests are said to show low bone density. Bone density represents the condition of calcium deposition in the bone, the baby is in the growth period, the bones are in the process of lengthening and thickening, the hormones that promote bone growth are increasing, calcium is naturally low, which is often referred to as low bone density. Only if the bone density is low, there will be more calcium into the bone to ensure bone growth. If the bone density is normal, instead, it means that the child is growing slowly. Therefore, generally infants and children have low bone density. The higher the body’s need for calcium, the stronger the body’s ability to actively absorb calcium. If the body is not calcium deficient, blindly going for calcium supplements will instead increase the burden on the kidneys and other organs. Should babies take calcium supplements or not? 1, 0-6 months breast-fed babies do not need to supplement calcium, and formula baby milk formula calcium content is also sufficient. So before 6 months, as long as the baby is fed scientifically, it is unlikely to be calcium deficient. 2, 6 months after the baby reasonably add supplementary food, balanced dietary nutrition, while ensuring about 500ml / day of breast milk or formula, more outdoor exercise in the sun, is not a calcium deficiency. 3, calcium absorption is more important than calcium supplementation, to promote the calcium in the blood into the bones is vitamin D. 4, these symptoms are not necessarily calcium deficiency: excessive sweating, pillow baldness, sleep crying, late teething, “X” or “O” shaped legs, these seemingly calcium deficiency symptoms and can not be taken as a direct manifestation of calcium deficiency. They may be caused by external environmental factors or individual growth and development. If there are typical signs of calcium deficiency, such as rib cage exostosis or chicken chest, you should take your child to the doctor to get the right medicine instead of blindly taking calcium supplements. What are the special conditions that require a bone density assessment? Unless specifically recommended by a doctor, normal children generally do not need routine and regular bone density measurements, especially in children under 1 year of age. For children, BMD evaluation is needed if: 1) recurrent fractures; 2) bone pain; 3) bone deformities; 4) general radiography suggesting osteoporosis; 5) monitoring of certain specific diseases or treatments.