by Dixie Iverson

Created on: April 22, 2008   Last Updated: May 14, 2008

Does Your Healthy Child Need Vitamin Supplements?

If you are a mom you naturally want to be sure you provide the best possible nutrition for your child. The idea of being totally responsible for the health and well being of a completely helpless individual can be scary, troubling or downright frightening. What shall I feed him? Is she getting enough to eat? How do I know if my older child is getting the right nutrients? Another question that is likely to arise concerns vitamin supplements. We all know that vitamins are found in the foods we eat, but do our children get enough of these vital nutrients? Do babies need supplements? Older kids? Which type of vitamin should I use? The answers to these questions depend on the particular circumstances of each child, including the age, overall health and general eating habits of the individual.

What Do Experts Recommend?

As with most health-related issues, opinions about the necessity of vitamin supplements for children differ. Some pediatricians maintain that all, or nearly all children in the United States eat a diet that is adequate to provide the nutrition necessary for good health. Others will argue that since children are notorious for going through phases in their eating habits that cannot be considered balanced, a supplement makes good sense. Vicki Martinez, dietitian with Dade County WIC (786-336-1333) says that each child's pediatrician is the person most qualified to make the decision about supplements.

Infants to Age 1

If you give your baby a commercial infant formula he/she will receive the recommended allowances of all nutrients in his feedings. According to Dr. Vincent Iannelli, who is a board certified pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), breastfed babies, as well as those who drink goat's milk or another substitute should receive supplemental Vitamin D. While vitamin D can be absorbed through the skin during exposure to the sun, it is hard to measure how much D is gathered. It can depend on the amount of pigment in the child's skin, and how much skin is exposed. It should also be noted that sunscreen, which is vital to the prevention of skin cancer, stops the absorption of Vitamin D. Therefore the AAP recommends a daily supplement of Vitamin D for breastfed babies. Since Vitamin D is so crucial in the prevention of rickets and other problems with the bones and teeth, the AAP suggests vitamin drops containing at least 200 IU of D per day. (http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/fu ll/pediatrics;111/4/908)

Toddlers

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