Are Vitamins the Answer?

Children go through many phases of eating habits. Some of them appear to be healthier than others, especially if your child is an extremely picky eater. Parents may question whether nutritional needs are being met. The answer is almost always.

Dr. Jason Wichman, a pediatrician at Pediatric Care Specialists, says “I do not recommend vitamins if kids are fairly good eaters and eat a variety of food. I think most kids get the vitamins they need with their diet, and I encourage fruit and vegetables.”

Also, a vegetarian diet doesn’t necessarily make for a poor choice for a child. Many children thrive on this lifestyle. Dr. Wichman recommends youngsters take vitamins with iron and B12, if they are not getting these in their vegetarian diet. “Most vegetarian families do a good job making sure their kids get these vitamins through legumes and vegetables high in these nutrients,” he says.

There is a debate over whether or not to give vitamin D to older children. For infants who are breast- and bottle-fed, most medical professionals agree a supplement is necessary. However, the debate begins when infants start eating food.

“I do not recommend the mega doses of vitamin D,” says Dr. Wichman, “as I think that can sometimes be harmful—and vitamin D toxicity is a real thing that can happen due to vitamin D’s being fat soluble.” Vitamin D is not excreted like other vitamins, and if a person ingests too much, the vitamin is stored in the body and can reach dangerous levels.

Dr. Wichman says, “I don't discourage vitamins in this age group but usually recommend a multivitamin instead of supplementing with a specific vitamin or high doses of certain vitamins.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics says, “Vitamin D helps ensure the body absorbs and retains calcium and phosphorus, both critical for building bone. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a bone-softening disease that continues to be reported in the United States mostly in children in the first two years of life. “

For older children, there are vitamin D-enriched foods, such as milk, orange juice, yogurt, margarine and some cereals. It also can be found naturally in some foods like oily fish, liver (beef), eggs, cheese and various mushrooms.

The best option is to offer your children a well-balanced diet with a bunch of fruits and vegetables; but as always, if you have questions regarding whether your child should be supplementing with vitamins, please check with your medical provider.

Stacey Hatton is a former pediatric RN and an Overland Park writer. Her new book, Not Your Mother’s Book…on Being a Parent, can be found on Amazon.