by Charlotte Manville

Created on: April 23, 2008   Last Updated: May 14, 2008

A parent's guide to vitamins for babies and children

The role of parent, for many of us, is the most important "career" of our lives.
Nurturing our children is vital, and vitamin usage is often a complex dilemma. Can we simplify it? Yes. Our most powerful tool is being aware and informed.
Multivitamins for pregnant women set the stage for the well-being of your child. Careful monitoring by your obstetrician and maintaining a structured diet is essential. The phrase that you are 'eating for two' is completely accurate.

The moment of birth initiates the first stage of vitamins needed individually by our children. The American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) states that 'breast milk is the ideal food for the first 6 months of life.' The only vitamin that breast-feeding does not provide in adequate amounts is Vitamin D, which is needed for proper bone development. Supplementing your infant's diet with Vitamin D should be approved and monitored by your doctor.
Infant formulas, which are regulated by the FDA, are not as good as breast milk, but some circumstances require their usage. Colostrum and antibodies found in breast milk help protect your newborn. Formulas cannot reproduce them like the mother's body can. Your doctor will recommend the best substitute for your infant's needs, such as iron-fortified formulas. As for the choice of whole cow's milk, the AAP does not recommend it until after one year of age. Even then, a supplement of Vitamin C may need to be prescribed for your child's specific situation.
Dietary Reference Intakes(DRIs), once known as Recommended Daily Allowances(RDAs), are guidelines that can be accessed through publications by the Institute of Medicine, the Departments of Agriculture, the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Dietetic Association, or the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources to name a few. They have formulated food pyramids. Your doctor has access to all of this information, and is required to follow the AAP's policies which are updated and revised on a regular basis.
These food pyramids are streamlined to fit your child's age group. This information is extremely helpful, but occurrences such as whether your child was carried to full term, has allergies, or has genetic abnormalities, necessitate the use of a doctor's recommendation as to the proper vitamin intake. With the ideal prescribed diet the use of supplements may be obsolete. The human body only uses a certain percentage of nutrients. Too many can be as harmful as not enough.
It is stressed by the American Medical Association(AMA) that dietary supplements are sometimes needed, but a professional assessment of your child's diet and physical well-being is often the best solution. Where you live can even affect what your child's needs are. Maintaining your child's "well" checks at your doctor's office provides much of the information that your doctor requires. Your child continually develops, and their needs constantly change. Every child is different; therefore, a doctor's knowledge and influence concerning vitamins is essential to making the right choices for the health of your child.

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