Does Your Child Need a Vitamin Supplement?

It seems for ages now that parents have been giving their children a daily multivitamin. They often come shaped like cartoon characters or even in the form of bubblegum, but some critics are pointing fingers at parents' who practice this. They believe that parents' should be supplying their children with their daily nutrition needs with their meals and that supplements are just parents being lazy. So, do children really need these supplements or should parents be providing their nutrition in meals?

Recently, this heated debate has taken its fight to the medical field with many medical professionals butting heads on the issue. Some experts believe that daily multivitamin is good for some children and that it can help in the development process. They say as long as the vitamins are specially formulated for a child than giving it to them will not hurt.

While some experts, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), advise that parents' should not give their child a vitamin supplement unless prescribed by their pediatrician. They argue that children are at a greater risk for vitamin poisoning than adults. The AAP also advices that because many foods are fortified with the necessary nutrients parents' may confuse how much a particular vitamin a child is actually getting daily and therefore, induce vitamin poisoning with the daily supplements.

A child's age is also a factor when deciding to start a daily vitamin regimen. Many experts agree that the risk for vitamin poisoning decreases with age. Therefore, giving a preschool age child a supplement will be far less dangerous than giving one to a toddler. The AAP suggests that supplying your preschooler with a multivitamin will not cause harm especially if they are finicky eaters.

So, what is right for your child? Well, that is up to you and your pediatrician. Many parents have decided to take on a "healthy food for life" system in which they teach their children from birth to only eat organic, healthy foods. This system of eating involves never giving a child junk food such as chips, milkshakes, sodas, candy ect. Followers of this method believe that this will teach the child to only desire healthy foods and; therefore, eliminate the need for vitamin supplements. Proponents of this method argue that the new generation of eating and living revolves around popping pills and unhealthy lifestyles and that the "healthy food for life" system will positively affect the lifestyle choices of children.

Whether or not you decide to give your child a daily vitamin supplement make sure you do a substantial amount of research before coming to your decision. Each child's body is different and has different nutritional needs. Consult a physician before starting any multivitamin regimen because what might work for one child may cause health problems in another! And remember, always practice safe eating habits!

For more information check out the AAP website : Click Here!