DAMMAM: The designs of many buildings in the Kingdom do not allow sunlight to penetrate the interior, resulting in a Vitamin D deficiency among many children. Mothers are trying to keep their children close to certain windows so that they can get some sunlight, which the body converts into Vitamin D. Children who do not get enough of this vitamin suffer from many ailments. Several families have urged relevant authorities to deal with this problem by making some architectural changes to allow for sunlight and fresh air. Many residents staying in apartments said it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to find a radical solution to the problem of crowded buildings in the Kingdom. Khaled Al-Qahtani stressed the importance of sunlight for children's growth and said buildings in the Kingdom make many children live without any sunlight. This explains why osteoporosis and osteoarthritis diseases are common in the Kingdom. Umm Saeed said sunlight was essential for children and adults. Vitamin D deficiency causes scurvy and osteoporosis and also some skin diseases. “I live in a flat located in the middle of a building. I have placed a mirror in the only room where the sunlight enters to expose other rooms to sunlight.” Dr. Muhammad Al-Qahtani, an Endocrinologist and head of the Pediatric Department at Dammam University, said, “The sun is the source of life on our planet. It also stimulates Vitamin D in the body, so the lack of sunlight causes most of the bone deformities in children like scurvy. It also causes permanent deformity in the peripheral bones.” He said the non-exposure of children and adults to sunlight at certain times of the day results in them suffering from Vitamin D deficiency. Most medical studies and research have proven that Vitamin D protects people from cancer. Al-Qahtani added that the spread of certain types of diseases proves that the Kingdom's residents are not getting enough sunlight.
