When to reduce vitamins for children?

If you are worried that your child's diet is lacking in nutrients because he or she refuses to eat vegetables or eats too many snacks, you can give your child a vitamin supplement for peace of mind. According to nutritionists, functional foods provide a little more vitamin to meet children's daily needs.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ngo Thi Oanh - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital

Experts disagree on whether a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement is necessary for all children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises giving your child a supplement only if directly recommended by your doctor. The organization states that most children do not need extra vitamins because many popular foods already have all the nutrients they need.
On the other hand, the AAP also acknowledges that giving vitamin supplements to children will not cause harm, as long as they do not exceed the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals in the recommended diet.
Some other experts believe that taking a daily vitamin supplement for children is a good way to make up for a lack of nutrients in the diet (if any). In general, experts agree that:
Daily use of vitamin supplements for children will not have negative effects, as long as daily requirements are not exceeded. Some children, such as those who are vegan or have food sensitivities, may need a certain vitamin or mineral supplement each day to meet their needs. All dietary supplements are no substitute for natural whole foods. Do not abuse vitamin supplements to compensate or balance a poor diet. If your child is not eating well, combine taking vitamins with taking steps to improve his or her eating habits. The ultimate goal is for the menu to become more nutritious and healthy, not to take more vitamins. In short, if you're concerned your child isn't meeting a balanced diet, a daily multivitamin or mineral supplement may be helpful. This cannot be harmful if used within the allowable limits.

You can take all of your usual multivitamins for kids - both chewable or liquid, unless your baby has special needs. Example:
If your child is a vegetarian, use a supplement containing vitamins B12 and D, as well as riboflavin and calcium which may be lacking in a child's vegetarian diet. In case the doctor determines that your child is anemic, he or she will be recommended to supplement with a specific amount of iron. Children often don't get enough Vitamin D, so the AAP recommends that most children from birth through adolescence get 400 IU of vitamin D. Note that supplements often don't contain 100% of all vitamins and mineral. So make sure your child also gets all the vitamins or minerals he or she needs from a variety of food sources.
For example, if your child doesn't drink milk or isn't getting enough dairy, and gets only about 15-20% of his daily calcium needs from supplements, you need to find other food sources.

When choosing vitamin supplements for children, read the label carefully because using the wrong vitamins will accumulate in the body and lead to some consequences such as:
Excess vitamin A in young children can cause increased cranial pressure , bulging fontanel , headache , convulsions ... Using vitamin C in too high a dose and for a long time can cause diarrhea , gastrointestinal ulcers , kidney stones , acidosis and vitamin C dependence syndrome ; Prolonged use of high doses of vitamin D will cause poisoning, increased blood calcium and urine, loss of appetite, nausea, thirst, weakness, fatigue... If not treated, there is a risk of death; Taking vitamin B6 to excess has the risk of causing sensory neuropathy; Excess vitamin B12 can cause hyperthyroidism, excessive increase in red blood cells, cardiomyopathy or secondary effects such as hangover, dizziness, urticaria. A survey found that when a poor diet is supplemented with vitamins, some children will have an excess of vitamin A, folic acid and zinc. Therefore, be sure to reduce your child's vitamins with these substances, unless specifically requested by the doctor. Also, the quality and potency of supplements with the same formula can still vary between brands.

Children under 4 years of age cannot crush chewable vitamins, so give them liquid supplements to prevent the risk of choking. However, do not abuse beverages that are advertised as fortified with vitamins and minerals such as sports drinks or energy drinks. Usually, these products contain caffeine and added sugar, which is not good for health in general.
Besides, there's no reason to force a child to take more vitamins than the recommended daily dose (usually 1 capsule/day), even if his or her diet has been particularly bad during the past week. Some people think that an extra dose is a little better, but in fact this is a dangerous way of giving vitamin supplements to children. Arbitrarily increasing the prescribed dose will not only hurt your child, but an overdose of some vitamins can also prevent the absorption of others, causing nutritional imbalances.
Finally, vitamins that are formulated to appeal to children are often like candy or syrup. Because of this, children are at risk of eating many tablets at once if given the opportunity. But taking too many vitamins and minerals (especially iron) can be dangerous, or even fatal. So, keep the vitamin vials like medicine. Always keep the lid tightly closed and out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked home medicine cabinet. To be on the safe side, check with your child's doctor if you suspect that he or she has taken any vitamins, even those that don't contain iron.

Thus, around the question of when to reduce vitamins for children, you need to understand the principle: do not consider vitamins as "tonics" used to increase health, do not arbitrarily take vitamins if not deficient, especially note the types of combinations, high doses and long-term use. When children eat poorly, have trouble sleeping..., the best measure is to go to a specialist for examination, testing, and necessary advice and instructions.
If parents need counseling support as well as in-depth understanding of vitamin supplements for children, they can go to Vinmec International General Hospital to examine, screen and receive advice and indications for use. effectively, avoid abuse affecting the health of children.

Reference source: babycenter.com