The Many Facets of Vitamin D in the Pediatric Population.

Vitamin D is important for skeletal growth, bone mineralization and dental health. Vitamin D deficiency is reported in many countries, may have several causes and can cause rickets in children. A guideline with recommendations of vitamin D supplementation to prevent nutritional rickets was published recently.

Immunoglobulin for alloimmune hemolytic disease in neonates.

Background: Exchange transfusion and phototherapy have traditionally been used to treat jaundice and avoid the associated neurological complications. Because of the risks and burdens of exchange transfusion, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been suggested as an alternative therapy for alloimmune hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) to reduce the need for exchange transfusion.

Objectives: To assess the effect and complications of IVIg in newborn infants with alloimmune HDN on the need for and number of exchange transfusions.