Nutrition: vitamin A deficiency: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Pediatrics · Nutrition: vitamin A deficiency

Sample item

A child with night blindness shows foamy, triangular conjunctival patches. What is the treatment dose of vitamin A for a child older than 12 months?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. 200,000 IU orally on days 1, 2 and 14

The patches are Bitot spots of vitamin A deficiency. The WHO treatment schedule for children above 12 months is 200,000 IU orally on day 1, day 2 and day 14, with half doses for infants and quarter for those under 6 months. Early treatment prevents corneal damage and keratomalacia.

Option by option

  • A. 100,000 IU weekly for a year

    Weekly dosing for a year is not standard.

  • B. 50,000 IU once

    Fifty thousand IU is a dose for infants under 6 months.

  • C. 200,000 IU orally on days 1, 2 and 14 (correct)

    Correct. Three doses of 200,000 IU treat xerophthalmia.

  • D. 10,000 IU daily lifelong

    Lifelong daily dosing risks toxicity.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Pediatrics questions

Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is C, 200,000 IU orally on days 1, 2 and 14. The patches are Bitot spots of vitamin A deficiency.

Why is "100,000 IU weekly for a year" not the answer?

Weekly dosing for a year is not standard.

Why is "50,000 IU once" not the answer?

Fifty thousand IU is a dose for infants under 6 months.

Why is "10,000 IU daily lifelong" not the answer?

Lifelong daily dosing risks toxicity.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nutrition: vitamin A deficiency in Pediatrics. The WHO treatment schedule for children above 12 months is 200,000 IU orally on day 1, day 2 and day 14, with half doses for infants and quarter for those under 6 months. Early treatment prevents corneal damage and keratomalacia.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nutrition: vitamin A deficiency?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.