Many a parent has walked down the vitamin aisle with our children reaching for bottle after bottle of “Disney princess gummies” and ” chewable Spiderman tabs” like they are candy. Each product promising to taste delicious and supplement even the pickiest eater’s nutrition-less diet. The marketing is obviously aimed at enticing with taste and color as well as a myriad of hypothetical health benefits. There have been studies to show what is REALLY in those vitamins, which vitamins brands are the most effective and if it really makes a difference to your child’s health to supplement with over the counter vitamins.
www.Healthychildren.org has information about the types of vitamins and their uses in the body as well as which are the most important for children. Consider the importance of proper nutrition through diet, not supplements. Over the counter vitamins are drugs and can be toxic if taken incorrectly. Make sure vitamins and any of your over the counter drugs are never within your child’s reach.
Always consult your pediatrician before giving your child supplements. And don’t leave a bottle of vitamins on the table as though they were a condiment like salt or pepper; taking vitamins should be done with careful consideration. -www.healthychildren.org
This link from www.WebMD.com gives information about which kids may be in need vitamin supplements as well as the most important vitamins and their functions.
Sound nutrition plays a role in your child’s learning and development. So, rather than relying on cartoon characters selling supplements, commit to feeding a range of healthy foods to your kids. – www.webmd.com
Many parents make efforts to cook “real” food for their children even using local produce, fresh meats and dairy. This is the best way to incorporate vitamins into your child’s diet. Most parents often don’t consider the added vitamin content to cereals, juices and dairy products. Your children may be getting more vitamins in their diet than you realize.
There is information available that ranks children’s multivitamin supplements based on their effectiveness. This website is worth exploring the articles and tips. Apparently not all vitamins are created the same. I was very suprised by the findings.
This www.Newsweek.com article from June 2015, goes into greater detail regarding the controversy over supplements. There is a push for the FDA to regulate this market. As for now, we go with what we read on the labels.
U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention seal of approval. The USP is an independent nonprofit that sets public standards for quality in food, drugs and dietary supplements. The USP will—for a fee—independently audit the purity, potency, stability and disintegration of supplements, ensuring that products contain the ingredients listed and adhere to FDA guidelines. The organization will not say whether a product is effective.
Many adult supplements carry the USP seal, but only one children’s vitamin, Kirkland Children’s Chewable Tablets, does. -www.newsweek.com
Parent tip: When you are shopping for a multivitamin, buy a small bottle first to see if your child will even eat them. There is no sense investing in a bottle of 300 vitamins if they will not even eat the 2nd one. Be sure to read if the tablet is chewable. I actually 
found some children’s vitamins that are way too large for a small child to swallow. Also, be sure to read the label for figuring the cost. Most labels read, for a child ages 2-3 take 1 tablet, ages 4 and over take 2. This would be twice as expensive. Gummies seem to be the most popular choice, but make sure they are stored out of your child’s reach. Consult your child’s pediatrician for anything you are not sure of, after reading this blog it seems that we should consult our pediatrician for ANY vitamin.
