Should I Be Giving My Child Vitamins?

Pediatricians may suggest vitamin supplementation for certain groups of kids.
Should I Be Giving My Child Vitamins?

THERE'S A VARIETY OF information out there on different multivitamins, with various companies touting their products, so it's no surprise that searching for – and purchasing – vitamins can be an overwhelming task. From calcium for strong bones and vitamin C for immunity, I get questions often from parents asking what vitamins they should be giving their children to keep them healthy. My response to these parents is that if your child consumes a balanced diet, there is typically not a specific need for extra vitamin supplementation.

A balanced diet includes:

• Good intake of leafy, green vegetables and fruits.
• Dairy products that includes adequate (not excess) amount of milk, yogurt and cheese.
• Adequate amount of whole grains – including oats, whole corn meal and brown rice.
• Adequate amount of proteins – including chicken, fish, egg and meat.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals Children Require

We all know that food ingredient labels can be extremely confusing, and it's often not clear what the percentage of daily recommended dietary allowances is for every product. However, when looking at labels, it's important to keep an eye out for the below ingredients that are essential for a child's optimal growth and development.
Vitamin A – important for vision, healthy skin and immune system, promoting growth and development, and for optimal tissue and bone repair. Good sources of vitamin A include yellow and orange vegetables, such as carrots, yam, squash, cheese, eggs and milk.
B complex vitamins – including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine) and B 12 (cyanocobalamin). The B vitamins play an important role in the various aspects of metabolism and energy production, as well as adequate function of the nervous system and circulatory system.
Vitamin C – important for formation of collagen, thereby promoting healthy skin and muscles. It's also important for immune function and formation of neural transmitters. Sources of vitamin Cinclude citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers (red and green), broccoli, strawberry and kiwi.
Vitamin D – facilitates calcium absorption and is important for bone health and tooth formation. It is well known that sunlight exposure induces vitamin D in skin and is the best natural source of vitamin D. Other sources include milk and fishes like salmon and mackerel.
Calcium – necessary for bone formation in the growing child. Milk, cheese, yogurt and calcium-fortified drinks like orange juice are important sources of calcium.
Iron – crucial in forming hemoglobin and therefore facilitates oxygen transport. Iron is also necessary for muscle and other tissue metabolism. Children on a diet with a poor source of iron, as well as adolescent girls, are at risk of deficiency. Good sources of iron include meat (beef, pork, turkey and other red meats), spinach and beans.
Though there are other micronutrients that are important for the body, their deficiency for practical purposes are extremely rare and only occur in uncommon special circumstances. The constitution of the micronutrients mentioned above can be used as a roadmap for choosing a source of vitamin.

What Group of Children Require Vitamin Supplementation?

As mentioned above, children on a balanced diet do not require any supplementation. However, in this age of fast foods and an on-the-go lifestyle, parents may not be able to cook a balanced diet on a daily basis. Pediatricians may suggest vitamin supplementation for the following groups of children:

• Children who are picky eaters.
• Children who do not eat regular, balanced meals made from fresh whole foods.
• Children who eat fast foods or processed foods on a regular basis.
• Children on a special diet – such as a vegetarian or vegan diet (which presents a risk for iron deficiency and B12 deficiency), or a dairy-free diet (may require calcium supplementation).
• Children with chronic medical conditions like Crohn's disease, celiac disease, asthma or chronic kidney disease.
• Children who drink an excess of soda, as bicarbonated soda consumption can lead to some mineral and vitamin deficiencies.

Enticing Your Child to Eat a Well-Balanced Diet

Generally, fast foods and processed foods are more exciting to children than healthy, whole foods. Most parents know that getting kids to eat a healthy, balanced diet is an ongoing process that takes time and effort. Although kids tend to shy away from vitamin-rich whole foods and gravitate toward more processed foods, these types of foods don't offer the sources of micronutrients that fruits, vegetables and proteins do. If your child refuses to eat nutritious foods, don't be disheartened. Often, giving the food again or offering a variety of choices will make the food more appealing to your child.

How to Choose a Vitamin Complement

There are many vitamin and mineral combinations, and it's often difficult for parents to choose between the litany of products available on the shelves and online. Here are some helpful tips to guide you:

• Generally, we advise vitamin supplementation when parents have tried all possible dietary possibilities or in special circumstances, like children on a special or medically-restricted diet.
• We advise that parents discuss possible vitamin supplementation with their pediatrician.
• We do not recommend vitamin supplementation in children under 4 years of age. Chewable options may be easier in children who cannot swallow pills or refuse to take liquid supplements.
• It is important that these products are kept safe to avoid accidental or excess ingestion. Certain vitamins in high doses can be toxic.
• The possibilities of interaction with any medication your child is taking may be addressed with your doctor, as well.