Calcium is mostly present in our bones. Indeed, bones are made up of more than 50% calcium. If your child does not have enough calcium, his blood calcium level will be low, and his body will draw the calcium from his bones to ensure normal cell function. It is like a High-Deposit Bone 'Savings Bank' According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Singapore, our bones are like a bank where bone tissue is 'deposited' and 'withdrawn'. Until the age of 30, more bone tissue is deposited than withdrawn, resulting in a positive growth in our 'bone bank'. This growth is the most rapid during childhood and teenage years, a phase crucial for 'saving' up much as possible for later years. Our bone mass will peak when we are about 30 years old, after which more bone mass is withdrawn than deposited, and our bone mass 'savings' start to decrease slowly. However, the higher the peak bone mass (i.e. savings), the lower the risk of the 'bank account' being depleted when we grow old. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Young children with sufficient intake of calcium should be able to accumulate more than 60% of their total bone mass by the age of 18. Hence, it is vital to give your child as much calcium as possible from young, so that he will start his adult life with the strongest bones possible. Calcium for children is thus very important to your growing children.
