What Vitamins Does my Child Need?

Author: Nicky

As long as your child is eating a well-balanced meal from the Food Guide Pyramid, they probably do not need any supplement minerals or vitamins. However, if you have a picky eater on your hands it will not hurt to give them a multi-vitamin that includes the items they need. In addition, children that do not drink at least 17 ounces of Vitamin D fortified milk will need Vitamin D supplements or calcium. Iron is a very important mineral that prevents anemia. Sources for iron include meats, legumes, fish, fortified foods such as cereals and breads. When girls begin to have their period they will more than likely need an iron supplement. Some examples of vitamins that include iron are Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin plus Iron, Poly-Vi-Sol Vitamin Drops with Iron, Pokemon Children’s Multiple Vitamin with Iron, Fer-In-Sol Iron Supplement Drops and Feosol Tablets and Caplets. Calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth. Children that do not drink milk or eat dairy products such as ice cream, cheese, and yogurt may need this mineral supplement. Children that have an allergy to milk or milk products will more than likely need a supplement with calcium. However, remember even calcium supplements will not give your child enough calcium for their growing bodies; they will also need calcium fortified foods such as calcium fortified orange juice. Some good vitamins or supplements with calcium include Calcium Gummy Bears, Herbasaurs Calcium f
or Kids, Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin plus Calcium, and Scooby-Doo! plus Calcium. Fluoride is very important for the growth of your childs teeth. If you want your child to have healthy teeth then they should be drinking fluoridated water. If they drink plenty of tap water in most towns and cities across the US, they are more than likely receiving enough fluoride. If you are not sure if your water contains fluoride, you can give them bottled water, which includes fluoride. There are a few fluoride supplements that are very good for giving your child what they may be lacking; however, too much fluoride can stain their teeth. If you need a fluoride supplement then you should purchase Poly-Vi-Flor. If you would rather use multivitamins, you can rest assured that most infant multivitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D. They also have other vitamins and minerals such as iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E. Some of the most popular infant multivitamins include Tri-Vi-Sol Drops, Poly-Vi-Sol Drops, and Gerber Vitamin Drops. Multivitamins for older children are usually in chewable form and contain the same vitamins and minerals only regulated for the growing child. Some of the most recommended include Centrum Kids Chewable Vitamins, Flintstones Children’s Chewable Multivitamin, Pokemon Children’s Vitamins, Bugs Bunny Children’s Vitamins and Scooby-Doo! Complete Multivitamin.

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The Benefits of Omega 3 Fish Oil For Children

Author: Michael

"How soon can I start my kids on omega 3 fish oils?" I’m asked this question all the time. People read about the wonderful benefits for children of the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, but there never seems to be any guidelines on when to start. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I start supplementing my children’s diet with high quality, pure fish oil as soon as they turn six months old. The kids were all nursed up until that point and my wife was supplementing her diet with fish oil while pregnant and nursing. This is so important because the omega 3 fatty acids, especially DHA, will make a HUGE difference in a child’s brain development, motor skills, language skills, thinking skills, vision, ability to sleep at night and much more. So how do you give fish oil to a 6 month old? Here’s how we did it. We pierced the capsule, squeezed a small amount onto a baby spoon and popped it into their mouths. It’s fun to watch a baby adjust to the taste of fish oils and it actually doesn’t take them long. With a little encouragement and lots of smiles, they’ll be reaching for the capsules faster than you can give it to them. A little word of caution: don’t wear nice clothes in the beginning. One of our children loved to make raspberries with their tongue after taking the fish oil and it would go everywhere. It was
hard to get mad though, because he looked so cute when he did it. If your kids are past the baby stage, don’t despair. It’s not too late to start giving them fish oil. It just takes a little more commitment and creativity to get the job done. If your children can swallow capsules, you won’t have any problem. As long as they don’t drink any hot liquids (like tea) right after taking their fish oil, they shouldn’t burp the taste. If they’re not able to swallow capsules yet, you can try giving them the fish oil on a spoon and then following up very quickly with a spoon full of applesauce or mashed banana. Just be sure to have your backup food ready to go before you give them the fish oil. You can also give them a drink of water to help wash it all down. It may not be pleasant the first few times, but if they see that you’re not going to give up, they’ll get used to it pretty quickly. And when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of how important the omega 3 oils are to your child’s health. If you’re not eating fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines or anchovies at least 3 times a week, your family is not getting enough omega 3s. Believe me! The results are worth the effort. You will see a big difference in your child’s overall health, mental and physical abilities. Don’t wait another day to start.

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