Pediatric hypercalcemia

What is pediatric hypercalcemia?

Hypercalcemia is a condition caused by having too much calcium in the blood. Normally, your child’s parathyroid gland produces a hormone that helps regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. Vitamin D, which your child gets from eating certain foods and from sunlight, also helps with this process.

When the parathyroid does not release the correct amount of hormone, or if your child suffers from a vitamin D deficiency, they may end up with too much calcium in the blood.

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric hypercalcemia?

Symptoms of hypercalcemia may include:

• Abdominal pain

• Constipation

• Curved spine

• Fractures

• Frequent urination

• Headache

• Irritability

• Muscle twitches

• Muscle weakness

• Nausea or vomiting

• Pain near the kidneys

• Refusal to eat

What are the causes of pediatric hypercalcemia?

Other causes of hypercalcemia include:

• Certain cancers, including Ewing sarcoma, lymphoma and neuroblastoma

• Certain medications, such as lithium

• Eating too much calcium (over 2,000 milligrams a day)

• Extensive bed rest

• Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (an inherited condition that causes abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood)

• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

• Kidney failure 

• Paget’s disease (a condition that affects the breakdown and formation of the bones)

• Taking too much vitamin D (talk to your doctor about what’s a safe amount for your child)