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Supplements
What should children be taking?
Anna Polucha
Cooking Matters
Fall 2012
Supplements Are Drugs
• Most supplements are sold OTC
• Is it necessary for participants to get a
doctor’s OK?
YES
Supplement Facts
• Forms



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Liquid (drops): Infants- 2 years
Chewable: Ages 2+
Gummies: Ages 4+
Pills: Recommended for ages 11+
• Don’t generally recommend against dyes
unless there is a known sensitivity
• Take supplements with food unless
otherwise noted
Supplements for Kids
Vitamin D
• Prevents rickets
• Usually recommended for breast fed infants
 Comes in drop form
• For children over 2 years old: get vitamin D
in a multivitamin
• Is sun exposure a good substitute?
Supplements for Kids
Iron
• Generally supplementation not needed with healthy diet
• Do not give iron supplements unless
prescribed/recommended by a physician
 May consider for adolescent girls or vegetarian/vegan
kids
• Low iron symptoms:
 Irritability
 Listlessness
 Increased susceptibility to infection
• Iron in the MV (12-18 mg) is OK
• Iron supplements meant for adults can be toxic for young
children!!
Supplements for Kids
Multivitamins
• Commonly recommended as a “catch-all”
• Kids with OK diets don’t necessarily need
them
• How to choose:
 Designed for your child’s age group
 No more than 100 DV% for each vitamin or
mineral
 Does it have everything you want/need?- check the
label!
Multivitamins Continued
• Chewable vs. Gummy
 Chewable generally has better profile
 Gummies have less iron & calcium
 Gummies are generally better preferred by kids
• Best multivitamin recommendation for kids:
Flintstones Complete Chewable (has full
compliment of vitamins and minerals)
Supplements for Kids
Omega-3s
• Not necessary but popular
• No issue with kids taking it
• 600-1200 mg is recommended
• Comes in liquid, gel or tablet
• Make sure it is purified (mercury free) and
odorless
Supplements for Kids
Fluoride
• Requires a prescription
• Comes in chewable or liquid
 Sometimes prescribed as part of a MV
• Only need it if the kids are not drinking
fluoridated water
 Contact your community water district to find
out- each town/district is different!
Supplements for Kids
• Other singled-out vitamins and minerals are generally
not needed
• Especially if the child has a variable diet
• May be some exceptions
 Kids with food allergies
 Kids with limited diets
• Extreme picky eaters
• Vegetarian/vegans
• Kids who don’t like milk
• Discuss individual concerns with a physician or
nutritionist
At the Pediatrician’s Office
• Participants should ask:
 Do you recommend a brand/specific kind?
 How much iron/calcium/etc. is appropriate
for a child this age?
 How long should they take this?
 Is it possible to overdose?
Click here to access the complete DRI table
Supplement Safety
• Supplements are drugs!
• Look like candy
(especially gummy
vitamins)
• Keep out of reach of
children
• Do not take more than the
recommended serving
size
• If you miss one, don’t
take two to make up for it
• Do not give a child a
supplement meant for
adults
Mmm… Yum!
Choosing a Supplement
• Be a smart consumer
 FDA does not regulate supplements before they
are released to the shelves
• Read the label activity:
 Participants will be given several different
supplement bottles and a scenario
 Should judge if the multivitamin is appropriate
Read the Label Activity
• Scenario Examples
 Your 4 year old son eats an OK diet, but you’re worried
she’s not getting enough nutrition. Your pediatrician
says it is OK for you to give a multivitamin. This is the
one you pick off the shelf. Is it OK? How many pills
should you give per day?
 Your 5 year old child has a milk allergy and your
physician recommended a calcium supplement with
vitamin D. She recommends the RDA of 1000mg
calcium and 600 IU vitamin D. Is this one OK? How
many pills should you give per day?
Five Key Points
• Supplements are drugs, so check with a doctor or
pediatric nutritionist before giving them to a child
• Most commonly asked about is a multivitamin,
which is generally perfectly safe
• Teach participants how to read labels because all
multivitamins (and other supplements) are
different
• Supplements are not an acceptable substitute for a
healthy and varied diet!