Why Children Need Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in your child’s health: they’re the building blocks that support everything from strong bones to sharp minds. If you’ve ever wondered why children need vitamins or when to consider supplementation, here’s what every parent should know.

Why Children Need Vitamins and Minerals

Growing bodies and developing minds rely on a wide variety of vitamins and minerals every single day. These essential nutrients help your child grow, think, and thrive.

When Supplements Might Be Necessary

Ideally, children should get most of their vitamins and minerals through food. However, we know that there are certain scenarios that make meeting all their requirements difficult. A Paediatric dietitian is able to review what your child is eating and identify any gaps in nutrition and recommend safe, evidence-based solutions.

Restrictive Eaters

We know that fussy/restrictive eaters may be missing some key nutrients because of their preference for certain foods and their limited range of foods. Children following diets such as vegan or vegetarian plans, may need supplements for nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

A dietitian can help ensure these nutrients are replaced through fortified foods and supplements. It can be reassuring for you as parents to know that your child is meeting their nutrient needs even if they have days when eating is particularly hard.

Food Allergies

If your child avoids certain food groups due to allergies or intolerances, they might be missing key nutrients. For instance, dairy-free children may lack calcium and vitamin D, while those with multiple food allergies may require broader supplementation.

Chronic Health Conditions

Children with conditions affecting digestion, absorption, or metabolism such as coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis, or inflammatory bowel disease, often have higher nutritional needs. In these cases, supplements may be recommended to maintain optimal health.

Faltering Growth

If your child is struggling with faltering growth or has a limited appetite, a paediatric dietitian can assess whether nutritional deficiencies are contributing factors. Supplements can support recovery and help ensure your child meets their growth milestones.

So what should I choose?

There are many different vitamins and supplements on the market and choosing the right one can be overwhelming. It is important to think about what your child is most likely to accept:

Multivitamin Drops: these are used from when babies ae small as they can easily be added to milk or dropped into babies’ mouth. They usually can be used up to around 3 years old and even older if the dosage is discussed with your Dietitian.

Multivitamin Gummies: there is a wide variety available on the market and well accepted if your child like ‘gummy sweets’. There is a wide variety of flavours to choose from and often come in fun containers.

Multivitamin Powders: these can be excellent for restricted eaters as they are colourless and flavourless so can be added to drinks or foods. It is worth noting that some children are still able to detect them so you can think about adding small amounts across the day as every little bit helps.

Multivitamin Chewable: These have a ‘sherbet’ like texture once chewed and come in a variety of flavours. They are usually more suitable for older children.

Effervescent Vitamins: these can be helpful if your child is able to drink fizzy, flavoured drinks. However, they are often only single nutrients like vitamin C so need to be combined with other vitamins to ensure they are meeting their requirements.

Vitamin Sprays: these are regularly available offering vitamin D and can be a quick, easy way to ensure they are getting their daily dose of 10mg Vitamin D.

Before giving your child any supplements, it’s best to speak with a qualified Paediatric dietitian who can recommend specific supplements, as every child’s needs are unique.

Support You Child’s Growth with Expert Nutrition Care

Every parent wants their child to grow up healthy, strong, and full of energy.

Our Tots 2 Teens dietitian specialises in paediatric dietetics and creates personalised nutrition plans to meet your child’s specific needs, whether they’re a restrictive eaters, have allergies, or need help catching up on growth. At Tots 2 Teens, we provide individualised nutrition counselling to help families makes confident, informed choices about their children’s diets and overall wellbeing.

Book a consultation today and take the first step toward balanced, confident eating habits for your child.