What is the most reasonable and scientific time to supplement zinc for children?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Phan Ngoc Hai - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

Zinc is an essential element for comprehensive development as well as avoiding growth retardation and stunting caused by anorexia common in children. But the question is how long to supplement zinc for children and how to make it reasonable? It is an issue that many parents are always concerned about.

When having to supplement zinc for children, mothers need to pay attention to the amount of zinc that the baby's body needs. According to a study by the Vietnam Institute of Nutrition in 2016, the amount of zinc supplement must depend on the age of each child. At the same time, mothers need to go to a medical facility for a specialist to see the general expression, as well as conduct biochemical tests to give the most accurate results. The results will help mothers know whether to regularly supplement zinc for children and how much.
The amount of zinc that needs to be supplemented by age is usually:
Children from 7 months to 3 years old are 5mg/day Children from 4 years old to 13 years old, it's 10mg/day Adults will add about 15mg/day Day for men and 12mg/day for women Women during pregnancy need 15mg/day Women after giving birth in the first 6 months need to supplement 19mg/day Women giving birth from 6 to 12 months then add 16mg/day.

After taking their child to a medical facility, parents can not only know the exact dose of zinc that their child needs to supplement, but also know how long zinc supplementation for children is enough. Normally, mothers can supplement zinc for their babies from 2-3 months, but it depends on the actual condition of each baby.
Besides, the ideal time for mothers to supplement zinc for babies is about 30 minutes after eating. Avoid supplementing with zinc when the baby is hungry because it easily affects the digestive system.

Besides supplementing with zinc for children with drugs, parents must also prioritize zinc from foods of plant and animal origin. Zinc is usually more abundant in animal and plant meat, with low zinc content and low biological value. Here are a few foods that contain zinc that mothers can refer to:
Shellfish: Oysters, mussels, crabs, scallops, shrimp, ... are seafood that often contain very high zinc content and many nutrition. Mothers need to clean and cook them before giving them to their babies. Meat: This is a food that you can easily buy in markets and supermarkets to prepare for children to eat. Among the types of meat, red meat contains the most zinc. However, mothers should also pay attention to the amount of meat in a baby's meal. Do not give your baby a lot of food because it can affect the liver and kidneys of young children. Eggs: Although they do not contain as much zinc as meat, eggs are also a good source of zinc for babies, and contain many other essential nutrients. Including choline - a substance that supports liver function, metabolism, brain development and body function. Plants: Mainly nuts, beans and vegetables. Although it contains a small amount of zinc, zinc from plants is said to be friendly to everyone because of its benign nature. Thanks to that, plants are always favored by mothers in the baby's weaning menu. Particularly for babies under 6 months old, breast milk is the richest and best source of zinc. In order for breast milk to be rich in zinc, mothers should also supplement zinc for themselves by eating adequate nutrients.

Here are some notes that parents need to keep in mind when supplementing with zinc for their children:
Do not add substances such as calcium and iron at the same time as zinc. Mothers should give children zinc before and 2 hours later, give them calcium or iron. In order for the baby to absorb zinc well, parents should actively give the baby additional nutrients such as vitamin C, fiber,... 30 minutes after eating is the best time for the mother to give the baby zinc tablets No Zinc should be supplemented when the baby is hungry to avoid affecting the digestive system. Zinc should not be given at night because it is difficult for the baby's body to absorb it at this time. Supplementing enough zinc for children to develop comprehensively is not a new thing, but how long to supplement zinc for children and the appropriate dose still makes many parents wonder. In some cases, zinc supplementation in the wrong way has the potential to affect the baby's health. In order for the zinc supplement to become scientific and best, parents need to consult a specialist with a lot of experience for advice on a clear schedule.
In particular, symptom improvement can take place for a long time, so it is recommended that parents be calm and persistent when supplementing with nutrients, even through eating or functional foods. The use of functional foods should choose those of natural origin that are easy to absorb, no longer allow to use many types at the same time or continuously change the types of functional foods.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.