When a child has unexplained spontaneous bruising, he or she is lacking one of the factors necessary for blood clotting. One of the important clotting factors is vitamin K.

According to research, 90% of children with cerebral hemorrhage due to vitamin K deficiency usually occur at 30-40 days of age, mainly due to vitamin K deficiency. Cerebral hemorrhage - meningitis in young children can be completely prevented by providing vitamin K to all newborns.

Newborns who do not get enough vitamin K from their mothers during pregnancy or while breastfeeding are at risk for a rare disorder called vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). VKDB can cause bleeding into the brain and can lead to brain damage or even death. VKDB can be prevented by giving newborns extra vitamin K.

Vitamin K is the generic name for a family of structurally similar compounds, including vitamin K3 (also known as menadione), which is an artificially produced form of vitamin K.