Home care

• Give your child foods that contain magnesium. These include:

  • Spinach

  • Nuts

  • Soy products

  • Millet, wheat bran, wheat germ

  • Whole grain cereals (bran flakes, shredded wheat, oatmeal)

  • Black beans or kidney beans

  • Brown rice

  • Avocado

  • Banana

• Give your child a magnesium supplement. Or, give a multivitamin with magnesium in it. Do this as directed by your child’s healthcare provider.

• Have your child’s magnesium levels checked often, as directed by your child's healthcare provider. This is very important if your child is a taking a diuretic. This is a medicine that keeps the body from retaining water.

• Tell the healthcare provider about all prescription and over-the-counter medicines your child takes. Some of them can decrease magnesium levels.

• Give your child all medicines exactly as directed.

• Learn to take your child’s pulse. Tell the healthcare provider if your child’s pulse rate is higher than 120 beats per minute.

Follow up

• Follow up with your healthcare provider, or as advised.

• Keep all follow-up appointments. Your child’s healthcare provider needs to watch your child’s condition closely. This is even more important if another health problem is causing the hypomagnesemia.

When to call your child’s healthcare provider

Call the provider right away if your child has any of these:

• Muscle twitching, spasms, or cramps

• Dizziness

• Fatigue

• Weakness

Call 911

Call 911 if your child has any of these:

• Confusion

• Fainting or loss of consciousness

• Irregular or fast heartbeat or racing pulse (higher than 120 beats per minute)

• Chest pain

• Shortness of breath