Childhood growth tends to be fast throughout the first 12 years of life. Nutrient supply is therefore often high to ensure continuous developmental needs. These include continuous development within bones, muscles, and blood, all of which entail wide-ranging requirements for nutrients for healthy growth. However, this can be hard to achieve using a solely balanced diet.
Many children go through phases where they refuse certain foods, dislike specific textures, or are hesitant to try new flavours, although most of them grow out of these phases. Nutritional supplements and the best vitamins for kids can help safeguard their intake and ensure they are getting the essential nutrients required for development and well-being. In this blog, we have a look at the best vitamins for kids and the required nutrients.
What Vitamins Do Children Need?
The NHS recommends all children between six months and five years take daily supplements of vitamins A, C, and D. These are the ones to support healthy development, immune systems, and well-being in general. Still, with the busyness of schedules or fussy eating, parents often ask, what vitamins do children need to be healthy?
It is natural to question which vitamins are good for kids since every child is unique. However, some nutrients are necessary for everyone. Vitamin D is essential for children’s bones to grow and develop normally and to help them have a healthy immune system.
Do Children Need Daily Vitamins?
While a healthy, balanced diet should be your first concern, supplements offer an effective way to ensure that your child is getting essential nutrients, especially if his or her diet is restricted or inconsistent. Minerals like calcium and iron are also important, calcium is needed for normal bone growth and development, while iron contributes to normal cognitive development in children. Another daily mineral that the child should take is iodine for normal growth.
Are Children’s Vitamins Safe?
Many parents ask if their children’s vitamins are safe. The answer is yes, when taken as directed. Trusted brands rigorously test their supplements to meet strict safety and quality standards, ensuring that your child is getting the best possible products.
Important Vitamins and Minerals for Kids
Calcium
Calcium is an important element for normal growth and development of bones in children. The body requires calcium to develop strong bones and teeth, thus, it is one of the critical minerals required for growing kids. Not all multivitamins include calcium, in the case of Wellkid Multi-vitamin Liquid, it does not, since there is not enough space to put a significant amount in the formula.
How Much Calcium Do Kids Need?
- 1–3 years: 700 mg daily
- 4–8 years: 1,000 mg daily
- 9–18 years: 1,300 mg daily
Food Sources of Calcium
- Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurt, milk
- Non-dairy fish with bones: sardines
- Plant-based sources: Broc, cab, fortified plant milk
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient needed for the normal growth and development of the bones. It also plays a role in the proper working of their immune system. However, it is one of the most difficult nutrients to be found in food naturally. Our bodies are capable of producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but in many countries, levels at that time are too weak during winter times for the body to produce sufficient amounts. Therefore, dietary supplements often present the best way to ensure adequate intake of vitamin D.
The UK Department of Health recommends that all children between six months and five years old take a daily vitamin D supplement.
How Much Vitamin D Do Kids Need?
- Children should have at least 400 IU/10 micrograms of vitamin D per day.
- Babies under one year: 8.5-10 micrograms a day (unless they are having over 500ml/1 pint of formula a day, as the formula contains added vitamins).
- Children 1-4 years: 10 micrograms per day throughout the year.
Sources of Vitamin D from food include fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel, fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, and egg yolks.
It is often difficult to obtain the required daily amounts from food sources. If necessary, use Biogaia Protectis Baby Drops with Vitamin D.
Iron
Iron plays a role in normal cognitive development in children. Children on vegetarian or vegan diets tend to be at a disadvantage in terms of iron absorption from plant sources, but this can be planned around with careful meal planning or supplementation if necessary.
How Much Iron Do Kids Need?
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) provides the following daily iron intake recommendations for children:
- Children aged 1-3 years: 6.9 mg per day
- 4-6 years: 6.1 mg/day
- 7-10 years: 8.7 mg/day
- 11-18 years males: 11.3 mg/day
- 11-18 years females: 14.8 mg/day
Food Sources of Iron
Red meat, liver, beans, lentils, and fortified cereals are all good sources of iron. Combining iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods, such as strawberries or bell peppers, increases iron absorption.
For younger children, consider iron supplements such as Feroglobin Baby Drops, which provide a gentle option for maintaining healthy iron levels.
Our Best Vitamins for Kids
- Abidec Multi-Vitamin Supplement for Babies & Children Drops: Suitable for those young children who need a multivitamin boost .
- Biogaia Protectis Baby Drops with Vitamin D: A great supply of vitamin D for babies.
- Haliborange Effervescent Vitamin C (Orange, 1000mg): Good for the immune system during winter seasons.
- Haliborange Kids Multivitamin Fruit Softies: A tasty daily multivitamin for kids.
- Vitabiotics Wellkid Baby Syrup: ideal for babies who require nutritional support.
These supplements can be added to the daily routine to support overall health and ensure your child gets the nutrients he or she requires.
The Final Word
It does not have to be such a stressful process when it comes to ensuring your child is getting all the nutrients required for growth and development. A well-balanced diet should always be at the core, but supplements can also give valuable support, especially in key nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium, and iron. Brands such as Vitabiotics have specific options for each stage of development, which makes it possible to safeguard your child’s health and growth.
It is always important to refer to a medical professional before introducing any supplement into the child’s diet to ensure it is safe and appropriate
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