The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 for an infant age 6 months or less is?

Appeared in: UPRVUNL - 2021

Explanation

The correct value is 0.4 mcg, which is the Adequate Intake (AI) for infants aged 0-6 months.
This AI is established based on the average daily amount of Vitamin B12 an infant receives from the breast milk of a healthy, well-nourished mother.
This amount is sufficient to support normal hematological status and neurological development during this critical period of growth.

Option A: 1 mcg is an incorrect value for an infant under 6 months. It is slightly higher than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for a child aged 1-3 years (0.9 mcg/day).
Option B: 8 mcg is incorrect. It falls between the AI for older infants (0.5 mcg for 7-12 months) and the RDA for young children (0.9 mcg for 1-3 years).
Option D: 2 mcg is significantly higher than the recommended intake for an infant. This amount is closer to the RDA for adolescents and adults.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vitamin B12 dietary requirements for infants as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in identifying infants at risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency, particularly those breastfed by mothers with restricted diets (e.g., vegan) or malabsorption issues.
Early detection of deficiency symptoms like poor feeding, lethargy, or developmental regression is critical. Prompt reporting to a physician can prevent long-term neurological damage.
Patient education is vital. Nurses should educate new mothers, especially those at risk, about the importance of adequate Vitamin B12 intake for both themselves and their infants.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key components of the question: the nutrient (Vitamin B12) and the specific population (infant age 6 months or less).
This is a factual recall question that requires knowledge of nutritional guidelines for pediatrics.
Recall or look up the standard dietary reference intakes for this specific age group. Remember that for young infants, the value is often an 'Adequate Intake' (AI) based on breast milk content.
Compare the known value with the given options to select the correct answer.
Eliminate options that are clearly too high (e.g., adult doses) or do not match the specific value for this age bracket.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Vitamin B12 dietary requirements for infants
Stem keywords: recommended daily intake, vitamin B12, infant, 6 months or less
Lead-in keywords: is
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 502-504

Practise the full UPRVUNL - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.