Most parents' think their children are eating a fairly healthy and if not they throw their hands up in the air and give up. They then ply their children with multivitamins. No it's not a bad thing however, many children think that vitamins are candies, especially now that they come in gummi candy, gumballs, and cute animal and cartoon character shapes. - This poses a serious issue because if they are in children's reach they could be "sneaking" extra tablets without you knowing it. Since many children's multivitamins are fortified with iron it could cause an overdose. If you even suspect that your child has ingested too many call your local poison control center immediately and get your child to an emergency room immediately. An overdose of multivitamins with iron could cause your child to become seriously ill or even die. It's imperative vitamins and all manner of medication be kept out of the reach of children.
Generic multivitamins are fine if you think your child needs it but for the most part, children get most of their vitamins from their diets. If you child has special needs such not being able to drink milk or eat dairy products or not liking them s/he will still need to get the calcium from other sources. Consult with your child's pediatrician for advice.
If your child's diet is bad one week, do not give him more than one vitamin a day. Too much of any one vitamin could prevent others from being absorbed by the body. For example, if your child gets to much calcium it could prevent the absorption of other vitamins such as iron. You can expect to give your child vitamins well into the teen years because children are not always going to make healthy food choices.
Before you buy vitamins know that there are opposing opinions regarding iron in vitamins for children. One school of though is that you in fact should be given vitamins with iron. Another school of thought says under no circumstances should vitamins with iron be given to children. In my own experience my child showed signs of low iron in infancy. At the advice of his doctor we put him on iron fortified vitamins and he is healthy now. Always check with your doctor on this.
Too much iron in the blood can cause a disease called Hemochromatosis. The body becomes unable to utilize the iron and it is not washed out of the body easily. It is a nearly always-fatal disease and can cause serious health issues and even death.
Calcium is a very important part of your child's diet to help them build strong bones and muscles. Calcium is a mineral. Children who eat ice cream, yogurt, and cheese or who drink milk usually get enough calcium from their diets. There are those who do not like dairy products or they don't like them. It is easy to help these children get what they need by giving them calcium-fortified juices, cereals and vitamins.
Most children get enough fluoride from drinking fluoride treated water or fluoride bottled water, and/or toothpaste. Do not give your child fluoride supplements without checking with your child's doctor. Too much fluoride could permanently stain your child's teeth. This totally defeats the purpose of the treatment of water and the use of tooth paste with fluoride that are meant to protect your child's teeth.
Infant multivitamins are usually available in liquid form and given with an eyedropper. These drops usually contain vitamins A, C, and D. They may also have added iron. They may also contain other vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B-12.
Children's multivitamins also commonly come in chewable forms and the shapes of cartoon characters or animals. They also come now in gummi candy form and gumballs. If it is difficult to get your child to take a vitamin try getting one that is like his favorite character or in gumball form. Monitor your child while he's taking his vitamin. I personally, give my child the vitamin rather than allowing him to do it on his own. He may not take it or he may take too many. Vitamins for children can be a very good thing however too much of a good thing can be fatal. Keep them out of reach of children.
Your child may not always eat what is right and giving him vitamins may offset some of that, however, it is better to err on the side of caution and check with the pediatrician before making any adjustments to your child's diet. Fun shapes are fine but your child could believe they are 'candy' and so they should be out of his reach or locked away in a cabinet.
About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes vitamin c and vitamin c, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.
The body is just mind-bogglingly amazing. I mean, when you... Read More
There is a paradox of sorts when dealing with injections... Read More
Are the new Argireline Wrinkle Relaxing Creams as effective as... Read More
Vitamins are the stars of the nutrition scene. Nutrition, the... Read More
It's absolutely crucial that your body gets the nutrients it... Read More
I know protein is good for me, but do I... Read More
Coenzyme Q10 has exploded onto the health scene. This powerful... Read More
Supplement is a word defined by Webster as such: Something... Read More
Supplementing with relatively small amounts of riboflavin (vitamin B2) may... Read More
Since coral calcium is one of he hottest products on... Read More
The growing numbers of health conscious people today living more... Read More
The Challenge of Free Radicals to Your BodyYour body is... Read More
HGH is produced naturally, in everyone, by the pituitary gland.... Read More
Vitamins and minerals play a major role in becoming healthy... Read More
Zma is a unique combination of vitamins and minerals that... Read More
AMLA ( EMBLICA OFFICINALIS ) FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTYAMLA, proudly... Read More
Best liquid calcium with boronNo longer is the search for... Read More
Difficulty sleeping can affect many aspects of life. People who... Read More
I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon... Read More
Numerous studies and surveys have consistently shown that a majority... Read More
Nutrients form the basis for your body, emotional and spiritual... Read More
A 2002 study reported, funded by the Swiss National Science... Read More
Vitamins are an important part of a health diet. Unlike... Read More
Liquid vitamins are the same vitamins that you find in... Read More
I began a quest to examine over 25 "leading products"... Read More
Granger limo Chicago ..The Superbug MRSA which is becoming more common in Hospitals,... Read More
Most people are becoming more health conscious. Many of the... Read More
Have you heard of the herbal supplement with the very... Read More
Once again the "wisdom" of the FDA and the supplement... Read More
It's green, it's valuable, and it can vastly improve your... Read More
MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane) is a nutritional supplement derived from natural organic... Read More
To supplement or not to supplement ? that is the... Read More
The ancient Egyptians had a cure for "night blindness". They... Read More
Myocardial infarction is a technical term used to describe an... Read More
The last year hasn't been a good one for vitamin... Read More
During the past few years, I've become more interested in... Read More
Biological oxidation involves transferring electrons from one oxygen molecule to... Read More
Do you ever wonder why the experts keep saying that... Read More
When I began to study nutrition, I too believed that... Read More
Nutrients form the basis for your body, emotional and spiritual... Read More
Most healthy eaters are familiar with the three macronutrients that... Read More
Dietary Supplement Vitamin - why is it important?Dietary supplement vitamin... Read More
Made from cow's milk, whey protein is a pure, all-natural,... Read More
Recently the news carried the story that a researcher had... Read More
Considering that the Health and Wellness industry is currently a... Read More
In parts one, two and three of this series, titled... Read More
Ever wondered whether amino acid supplements really work? We reveal... Read More
VITAMINS:Vitamins are major for Healthy life. Vitamin D may reduce... Read More
The food is the raw material for the body. Minerals... Read More
A popular mineral today, coral calcium, is mainly calcium, but... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |