5 Tips for Choosing Vitamin Supplements for Children

Do you already know, if your child's vitamin needs must be met properly during the growth period?

Read: 5 Foods and Vitamins for Ringing Ears

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who are healthy and lead a balanced diet don't actually need to be given vitamin supplements anymore.

However, there are conditions that make the child need to be given additional vitamins, such as:

• Picky eater children who have difficulty eating and only eat a little.
• Children who are on a vegan or vegetarian diet.
• Children whose consumption of milk or dairy products is less or too much.
• Often eat junk food.
• Have certain health conditions, such as short bowel syndrome or cystic fibrosis.

Tips for Choosing Vitamin supplements for Children

Before buying, it's a good idea to first read the following 5 tips for choosing vitamin supplements for children:

1. Consider Children's Physical Needs and Daily Activities

Each child's vitamin needs will be different, depending on their physical condition and daily activity.

For example, children who actively exercise need additional calcium, iron, and vitamin D to increase oxygen flow and strengthen bones.

Meanwhile, children who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet may need to be given additional vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and zinc.

2. Consider the Age and Gender of the Child

According to the recommendations of the Mayo Clinic website, providing additional vitamins to the child should be in accordance with the daily needs according to his age and gender.

A 2-3-year-old needs less vitamin C, calories, vegetables, and dairy products than a 4-8-year-old child.

Meanwhile, according to a report by the National Institutes of Health, children's vitamin needs after the age of 4 to 8 years will also be more different depending on their gender.

Read: Should Babies Be Given Vitamin Supplements?

That is the age at which boys begin to need more nutrients.

3. Consider Children's Dosage and Daily Vitamin Needs

Tips for choosing children's vitamin supplements on this one are important for Moms to remember because excess vitamins can actually cause disturbances in the health and function of the child's body.

Well, here are some of the vitamin needs of children in a day according to the WebMD website:

• Calcium: 1,000 milligrams for children aged 4-8 years and 1,300 milligrams for children aged 9-18 years.
• Vitamins B and B12: 1.2 micrograms for children aged 4-8 years and 1.8 micrograms for children aged 9-13 years.
• Vitamin D: 400 IU (International Unit) or the equivalent of 10 micrograms for infants and children.
• Vitamin E: 10.4 IU for children aged 4-8 years and 16.4 IU for children aged 9-13 years.
• Iron: Approximately 7-10 milligrams for all children who are not yet in their teens and 15 milligrams for girls who are already menstruating.

So always pay close attention to the dosage on the label of the child's vitamin supplement packaging before buying.

4. Choose Vitamins in the Form of Powder or Drip Oil

Children's vitamins in the form of jelly or candy are definitely liked by the little one, but the added sugar in it can make the teeth become hollow and black.

According to Pegah Jalali, a pediatric nutritionist at Middleberg Nutrition, Moms should give children vitamin supplements in the form of powder or drip oil that can be mixed into food or drinks.

5. Consult Children's Nutritional Needs with a Doctor or Nutritionist

Well, the last and most important tips for choosing a child's vitamin supplement are to always consult a doctor or child nutritionist before giving any additional vitamins.

In addition to being able to get recommendations for the best vitamin supplements according to the needs of the child, it will also prevent the little one from being overloaded with vitamins.