Taking our vitamins is important to supplementing a healthy diet and regular exercise. But when it comes to our children, their needs are different than ours. With so many children’s multivitamins on the market, it can be difficult to know if we are giving them the right vitamins in the right amounts to support their growing and changing bodies.
A new food order
As our food landscape has evolved, the American diet has become deficient in unforeseen ways. A heavy reliance on prepackaged and processed foods has caused alarming side effects including rising obesity. The World Health Organization states that currently 6.5 million children under the age of five are overweight and that number continues to increase.[3] This, along with skyrocketing rates of food allergies, means the standard American diet is changing once again.
Many children are known as “picky eaters”, but this does not always correlate to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The bigger concern, according to Hoecker, lies in the nutritional needs of children with restricted diets like those with allergies, intolerances and vegan or plant-based diets. If your little one or family has a restricted diet, or you are simply concerned about your child’s nutritional needs being met, a children’s multivitamin is a safe and healthy option for supplementing their regular diet.
Is it safe to rely on vitamin-fortified foods?
According to Jay L. Hoecker M.D. in his article on children’s nutritional needs for the Mayo Clinic, many vitamins that are crucial to a child’s development are in vitamin-fortified foods such as cereals, orange juice and milk.[1] Yet, in this age of higher rates of food allergies including wheat, dairy and gluten, many children cannot consume these fortified foods. This also means in the wake of the growing food movement, those families who avoid processed foods in exchange for more whole foods may also be lacking these important nutrients in their diets.
B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium and iron are the most common supplements added to these processed foods, along with folate and folic acid.[2] These vitamins were historically added to foods generally consumed by the majority of the population in an effort to reduce instances of illness caused by nutrient deficits like rickets and goiter. Folate and folic acid were specifically added to help prevent neural tube defects during fetal development.
Choosing the right vitamin
Find the flavor and style that best suits your child and their preference. From chewable tablets to gummy bears and even drink mixes, each of these are specially formulated for the appropriate daily allowance for children. Do not substitute an adult multivitamin for a children’s multivitamin, as the levels are significantly different. It is also extremely important to keep vitamins, like all supplements and medications, out of reach of children. As vitamins have become more palatable to children, they have also become more candy-like in their appearance and taste, making them more tempting to little ones. Large doses and vitamins in amounts that exceed the 100 percent recommended daily allowance can cause a variety of side effects ranging from stomach upset to more toxic and even fatal outcomes. When used appropriately, a multivitamin can be a useful tool in your everyday workings to raise a healthy, strong, and thriving child.
Integrating the habit of taking a daily vitamin can be as easy as setting it on your kiddo’s breakfast plate each morning or making it part of their morning snack routine. Try to avoid taking supplements later in the day or before bed as they can contribute to an increase in energy and make for a restless sleep or, even worse, a child who is anything but ready for bed at bedtime.
Always consult a doctor as to the need and dosage of supplements for your child.
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/multivitamins/faq-20058310
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3319130/
[3] https://www.wpro.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/nutrition/en/