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Vitamins for children: need it (and which ones)?

When children grow, it is important for them to get enough vitamins and minerals to ensure optimal health.

Most children get adequate amounts of nutrients from a balanced diet, but in certain circumstances children may need to be supplemented with vitamins or minerals.

This article tells you everything you need to know about vitamins for children and whether your child could need them.

Nutritional needs for children

According to health experts, toddlers aged 2 to 8 years need 1,000-1,400 calories a day. The 9-13 year olds need 1,400-2,600 calories daily – depending on certain factors, such as the level of activity.

In addition to consuming enough calories, a child’s diet should also meet the following Diet Reference Intakes (DRA):

While the above nutrients are some of the most discussed, they are not the only ones that children need.

Children need a certain amount of vitamins and minerals for proper growth and health, but the exact amounts vary with age. Older children and adolescents need different amounts of nutrients than younger children to promote optimal health.

Children have different nutrient requirements than adults?

Children need the same nutrients as adults – but usually smaller amounts.

As children grow, it is important that they receive sufficient amounts of nutrients that help build strong bones, such as calcium and vitamin D..

In addition, iron, zinc, iodine, choline and vitamins A, B6 (folic acid), B12 and D are crucial for brain development in early life.

So, although children may need smaller amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to adults, they still need to get enough of these nutrients for proper growth and development. Children usually need lower amounts of vitamins and minerals than adults. Nutrients that support bone structure and promote brain development are particularly important in childhood

Children usually need lower amounts of vitamins and minerals than adults. Nutrients that support bone structure and promote brain development are particularly important in childhood.

Children need vitamin supplements?

In general, children who eat a healthy and balanced diet do not need vitamin supplements.

However, infants have different nutritional needs than children and may need certain supplements, such as vitamin D for breastfed infants.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not recommend supplements that go beyond the recommended supplements for healthy children 1 year and older who have a balanced diet.

These organizations suggest that children eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and proteins to maintain adequate nutrition.

These foods contain all the necessary nutrients for proper growth and development in children.

Overall, children who eat a balanced diet and include all food groups generally do not need any vitamin or mineral supplements. However, the next section deals with some exceptions.

Children should eat a variety of foods to get the nutrients they need. Vitamins are usually unnecessary for healthy children who follow a balanced diet.

Some children may need additional nutrients.

Even though most children who eat healthy don’t need vitamins, special circumstances may require supplementation.

Certain vitamin and mineral supplements may be necessary for children at risk of deficiency, such as those, who:

• follow a vegetarian or vegan diet
• have a condition that affects the absorption of nutrients or increases the need for nutrients, such as celiac disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis or inflammatory bowel diseases.
• have had an operation that affects the gut or stomach.
• are extremely picky eaters and struggle to eat a variety of foods.

Children who eat plants in particular can run the risk of deficiency in calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins B12 and D – especially if they consume little or no animal products.

Vegan diets can be particularly dangerous for children if certain nutrients such as vitamin B12 – which is naturally found in animal foods – are not replaced by food supplements or fortified foods.

If these nutrients are not replaced in children’s diets, this can lead to serious consequences such as growth disorders and developmental delays.

However, it is possible that plant-based children can get adequate nutrition through diet alone if their parents take enough plant-based foods that naturally contain or are enriched with certain vitamins and minerals.

Children with celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease may find it difficult to ingest multiple vitamins and minerals, especially iron, zinc, and vitamin D. Because these diseases cause damage to the areas of the intestine that absorb micronutrients.

On the other hand, children with cystic fibrosis have difficulty absorbing fat and therefore cannot adequately absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K..

In addition, children with cancer and other diseases that cause increased nutritional needs may need certain supplements to prevent disease-related malnutrition.

Finally, some studies have linked picky childhood food to low micronutrient intake.

A study in 937 children aged 3-7 years found that picky food was strongly associated with a low iron and zinc intake. Nevertheless, the results showed that the blood values ​​of these minerals did not differ significantly between picky and non-picky eaters.

Nonetheless, over a period of time, a picky diet can lead to a lack of micronutrients, which can justify nutritional supplements.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are often necessary for children who are on vegan or vegetarian diets, have an illness that affects nutrient absorption or is very picky.

Choice of vitamin and dosage

If your child is on a restrictive diet, cannot get enough nutrients, or is a picky eater, they can benefit from taking vitamins.

Always discuss supplements with a doctor before giving them to your child.

Not to mention the vitamins that are made specifically for children and to make sure they don’t contain mega doses that exceed children’s daily nutritional needs.

Vitamin and mineral precautions for children

Vitamin or mineral supplements can be toxic to children if they are taken in large quantities. This applies in particular to the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, which are stored in body fat.

A case study reported the toxicity of vitamin D in a child who took too much of a supplement.

Note that rubberized vitamins in particular can easily cause overeating. One study cited three cases of vitamin A toxicity in children due to overeating candy-like vitamins.

It is best to keep vitamins out of the reach of young children and to discuss adequate vitamin intake with older children to prevent accidental overeating of the supplements.

If you suspect that your child has taken too much of a vitamin or mineral supplement, contact a doctor immediately.

When choosing a vitamin, pay attention to high-quality brands and nutritional supplements that contain the right dosage of vitamins and minerals for children.

This is how you ensure that your child gets enough nutrients

To ensure that children get sufficient amounts of nutrients so that they don’t need supplements, make sure that their diet contains a variety of nutritious foods.

The inclusion of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats and dairy products (if tolerable) in meals and snacks will probably provide your child with enough vitamins and minerals.

To help your child eat more products, constantly introduce new vegetables and fruits that are prepared in different and tasty ways.

A healthy diet for children should also limit the addition of sugar and highly processed foods and focus on whole fruits through fruit juice.

However, if you feel that your child is not being properly nourished by diet alone, dietary supplements can be a safe and effective way to provide the nutrients that children need.

Contact your child’s pediatrician if you are concerned about your child’s food intake.

By providing your child with a variety of whole foods, you can ensure that they get the nutrients they need for optimal health.

The bottom line

Children who eat a healthy and balanced diet usually meet their nutritional needs through food.

However, vitamin supplements may be necessary for picky eaters, children who are in a state of health that affects nutrient intake or increases nutritional requirements, or those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

If you provide children with vitamins, you should opt for high-quality brands that contain suitable doses for children.

To ensure that your child receives enough nutrients, offer a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods and limits sweets and refined foods.

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