The lowdown on children’s vitamins

Should I give my preschooler a vitamin supplement?

Experts disagree on whether a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement is a good idea for all children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), for example, advises giving your child a supplement only if your pediatrician recommends one. Because so many common foods are fortified, most children don’t need supplements, the AAP argues. On the other hand, the AAP acknowledges that a multivitamin/mineral supplement won’t hurt as long as it doesn’t exceed the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for any vitamin or mineral. Other experts say that a daily supplement is a good way to fill in any gaps in your child’s nutrition.

Most experts do agree that:•  As long as you don’t overdose your child on supplements (exceed the RDA for any one vitamin or mineral), a daily won’t hurt.

•  Some children — like vegetarians, or those with sensitivities to certain foods, for example — might need a daily vitamin/mineral supplement to meet their RDAs.

•  Supplements are not a substitute for good food, and they should never be used to justify a poor diet. If your child isn’t eating well, give him a supplement, but also take steps to improve his eating habits.

The bottom line is that if you’re concerned that your preschooler isn’t getting a balanced diet by meeting all the requirements in the Food Guide Pyramid, a dailly multivitamin/mineral supplement can’t hurt. Just don’t give your child more than one a day or neglect to focus on good nutrition at the same time.

Should I give my preschooler a vitamin if he’s a picky eater?

If you’re concerned that your child’s lacking in any area — because he won’t put anything green in his mouth or because he goes on food jags when he seems to eat nothing but mac and cheese for days — then you might want to give him a supplement for your peace of mind. It provides a little extra insurance that he’s getting what he needs, says Debby Demory-Luce, a registered dietitian with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, a nutrition arm of the agency, and an instructor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. As long as you give your preschooler just one daily multi, he won’t “overdose” on a particular vitamin, even if he’s already getting more than he needs of that vitamin from his food.