Does Your Child Need a Multivitamin?

Parents worldwide fret about their child's nutrition. They wonder if their kids are getting enough nutrition to keep their growing bodies strong and healthy. Young children especially can be finicky eaters, which causes many parents to wonder if they are getting adequate vitamins. While every parent would love for their children to choose leafy green vegetables at every meal, this simply is not the case with most children. That leaves many parents asking the question, "Does My Child need a multivitamin?"

One thing to consider is that many foods like cereals, breads, breakfast bars, and many snacks and drinks are fortified with vitamins these days. So, if a child eats a bowl of cereal for breakfast with milk (even soy or rice milk) chances are they are getting many vitamins through those avenues. Children's drinks, such as 100% apple juice are now fortified with vitamin C, and some even contain other vitamins and minerals (such as Vitamin water). Be careful though, some contain a large amount of sugar that isn't healthy for children.

Another consideration is just how picky a child actually is. Keeping a diary of a child's food intake over a week or two gives an insight into whether or not a multivitamin may be in order. For example, one day a child may not touch a vegetable, while the next , they may eat a whole bowl of salad, cherry tomatoes, or carrot sticks. An evaluation over a couple of weeks gives a broader perspective to what children are ingesting and if their nutritional needs are being met.

Furthermore, a child may be lacking in some vitamins and sufficient in others. Typically, children get enough vitamin C if they drink fortified apple juice, orange juice, and like to eat fruits such as strawberries; while they may be lacking in D vitamins or calcium. It is important to observe exactly what a child is lacking in their diet in order to provide them with the right vitamin to meet their needs.

Another important factor when noting what a child is eating and how much, is by using the USDA recommendation for a child's size. On packaging, the USDA % recommendation of daily intake is based on the nutritional needs of an average-sized adult, whose nutritional needs are much higher than that of a child's.

In addition, recent research has shown that many children who take multivitamins don't need them. While that information may be comforting, A Consumer Reports study showed children who are most likely to need vitamins are the least likely to be taking them. They speculate it is because children from higher income families have access to better nutrition and money to purchase multivitamins, whereas the opposite is true for low income households.

The choice to give a child a multivitamin is a decision every parent should make with research, careful consideration, and after talking to their child's pediatrician.

Sources: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/163/2/150, www.ConsumerReports.org