الفهرس 
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Abstract
Bachground: Vitamin D is an important hormone regulating the calcium homeostasis in the body, in addition to the bone health. Its deficiency is suggested to be the causative factor in many endocrine and immune diseases, and it also affects neurophysiological functioning In infants and young children Vitamin D plays an important role in bone mineralization hence its deficiency is leading to rickets and hypocalcaemic symptoms Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and normal bone health, and deficiency in utero and during childhood may lead to skeletal deformities. Aim and objectives To assess vitamin D status in Egyptian infants and children from age of 6 months up to age of 5 years and to assess if there is seasonal variation in its level. . Subject and method : The present study was conducted as a cross section study included infants and children aged 6months up to 5 years attending the outpatient clinic of Mansoura University Children Hospital, 100 of them were taken during winter time and 100 during summer time. Each child underwent: full history taking, thorough clinical examination, laboratory investigations and assessment of Vitamin D. Results: 33.5% of the total studied children had vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) and 41.5 % had vitamin D insufficiency (≥20 ng/ml- <30 ng/ml). The median of serum vitamin D was ( 54.5 ng/ml ) in the summer group which was significantly increased than its level in the winter group (23.7 ng/ml) (p-value=0.001). Winter season and absence of sun exposure had significant risk of developing vitamin d deficiency or insufficiency (P-value=0.001).