Vitamins and Supplements for Kids
along withChildren's growthTo provide them with all kinds ofVitamins and nutritionis crucial. If your child is a picky eater, or has special dietary requirements, such as habitual vegetarianism, sensitive stomach and other problems, you will understand that you want such children to grow up healthily, avoid serious defects, and provide them with all the necessary resources for their growth. All it takes, this is a lot harder to do than it is to say. For example, which vitamins do children need to supplement? If you were considering nutritional supplements, which one would you choose? If you are concerned about the vitamins andMineralsToo much, before giving it to them, it is best to consult your health care manager or pediatrician to see if this supplement is suitable for your child.
Here’s what to look for in a multi-vitamin for kids. Be sure that the vitamin amounts are appropriate for child’s age based on your paediatrician’s recommendations.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for normal growth and development as well as tissue and bone repair. It helps keep skin, eyes and the immune systems healthy. Sources of vitamin A in foods include dairy products like milk, eggs, and cheese, as well as yellow and orange vegetables and fruit such as carrots, sweet potato, mango, and squash.
B-VITAMINS
Vitamin B supports our metabolism, energy levels and keeps our circulatory and nervous systems healthy. The B2, B3, B6, and B12 vitamins are especially important and even more so for those children who are on a plant-based diet. Good sources of vitamin B include soybeans, meat, chicken, and dairy products like cheese, eggs, and milk.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is especially important for kids as it helps promote bone and teeth growth and may also help prevent disease later in life. Vitamin D is a vitamin that many adults and kids are lacking due to our modern lifestyles since the best way to get vitamin D is through sunlight. Supplementation of vitamin D will likely be recommended by your paediatrician, especially for kids who are breastfed since mothers are not likely to have enough vitamin D themselves while baby formula is fortified with additional vitamin D.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential to help our body heal, fight off infections, as well as strengthen muscles, tissues and skin. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, spinach and broccoli.
Calcium
Along with vitamin D, calcium is also essential for bone and teeth development and if kids don’t get enough in their youth it can cause growth issues as well as weak, brittle, and porous bones. Calcium can be found in milk, yoghurt, cheese, and tofu.
Iron
We need iron to help build muscle and healthy red blood cells. Iron is especially important for kids during growth spurts or for menstruating girls. Good sources of iron include red meat, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals.
Zinc
Kids on a plant-based or limited diet, perhaps from picky eating, may be prone to a zinc deficiency. A zinc deficiency may slow your child’s growth as it assists in cell growth, metabolism as well as their immune system and functions which help to keep viruses and bacteria at bay.
Supplementation Tips for Kids
*Many kid’s multivitamins look and taste like candy so be sure to keep them out of their reach to avoid toxicities.
*If you are bottle-feeding your child, be sure to note the number of vitamins and minerals in the formula before adding further supplementation so that you don’t go over their daily limit.
*Give supplementation after meals as some vitamins are fat-soluble and are absorbed better with food. This will also help to avoid any stomach upsets.
