How to choose a multivitamin supplement for your child?

This is a question that comes up time and time again in clinical practice. Of course you want to provide your little one with the best start and ensure they have all of the vitamins and minerals that they need to support their growth and development. Food should always be the primary source of vitamins and minerals, though there are some children who may need additional vitamin and mineral supplementation to help them meet their needs.  With a huge number of supplements being marketed for children, it can feel overwhelming and confusing to know if your child needs these supplements at all and if they do, how do you know which one to give. In this blog we will look at: 

• What supplements are recommended for all infants and children?
• Reasons why your child might need additional supplements
• How to choose a vitamin supplement 

What vitamin/mineral supplements are recommended for infants and children?

In the UK, all children up to the age of 5 should have their diet supplemented with Vitamin D and Vitamin A (not usually before 6 months of age- see table below).We have a full blog already on why we need to supplement with Vitamin D here(link to blog post) but to summarise the current UK recommendations on Vitamin supplementation for all children: 

There are scenarios when your child may not meet or are unlikely to meet their nutritional requirements through diet alone, and you may need to consider additional supplementation. These include: 

Children who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet –  A well-planned vegan and or vegetarian diet can absolutely provide your child with the majority, if not all, of what they need.  What supplements are necessary will depend on the type of diet followed, for example, if your child consumes for example dairy products or oily fish. Even with careful planning, some nutrients can be challenging to consume in the right quantities so supplementation of the following may need to be considered -Vitamin B12, iodine, iron,  and Omega 3’s. 

Children who are picky eaters – Children who are picky eaters may struggle to eat enough nutrients as they may not eat a range of foods from all food groups. Not all picky eaters will have the need for a multivitamin and it’s important to speak to a healthcare professional who can guide you on appropriate options. You can look at some key aspects of your child’s diet- detailed below- though some parents may choose to give an age-appropriate broad-spectrum (A-Z) multivitamin.

Children with food allergies, intolerances, or coeliac disease  –  may struggle to obtain all the necessary vitamins and minerals from their diet alone, as they must avoid one or multiple food groups, increasing their risk of nutritional deficiencies. Whilst you can use the questions below to support you- it’s best that you have support from a paediatric dietitian who can take into account your child’s individual circumstances. 

Reasons your child might need an additional vitamin/mineral supplement?

Alongside the groups of children above, to help guide what, if any, supplementation your child might need, you can ask yourself the following questions about their diet. 

Do they eat a variety of food from all the necessary food groups?

• 5 portions of starchy carbohydrate foods
• 5 portions of fruits/vegetables
• 2-3 portions of dairy or fortified alternatives
• 2-3 portions of protein rich foods
• Include sources of fat (important for growth)

If they do not eat certain foods  that contain key nutrients in their diet does their diet contain other sources of these key nutrients? For example if your child does not eat red meat,  which we know is a good dietary source of iron , does their diet contain other sources of iron such as beans, lentils, fortified breakfast cereals or fortified milks? 

How to choose a vitamin supplement

Not all vitamin supplements are created equal and with a huge amount available on the market it can be confusing as to which one to choose.  Some companies make bold,  exaggerated and misleading claims, produce supplements which contain megadoses of vitamins or contain proprietary blends e.g. “energy blends” that don’t list the actual quantities of each ingredient- these supplements should be avoided.   Here are some key things to look for that can help you choose a good quality supplement:  

• Check that it contains the key nutrients that you are looking for, and in the right amounts (e.g. Vitamin D is often lower than the 10ug recommended)
• Check the ingredients- some supplements contain fillers and artificial colour, and sweeteners which are not necessary
• Check if it is third-party tested
• Check if the company is well established, with a robust reputation
• There are scientific studies to support the formulation and/or proof of formulation avaliable from the company
• One of the most important factors to consider is whether the vitamin is in a format that your child can take consistently!

When to get extra help

If your child does not eat a variety of foods from the necessary food groups or is missing a whole food group from their diet it’s important to speak with a health professional and or paediatric dietitian for individualised guidance on vitamin and mineral supplementation.  

Reference:

1. GOV UK Healthy Eating Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthy-eating-applying-all-our-health/healthy-eating-applying-all-our-health
2. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/vitamins-for-children/