Similar to adults, children require vitamins for their health, growth, and development. Vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin K support optimal bone and organ development, while vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E enhance children's immunity against infections and diseases.
Vitamins are typically found in meals that children eat on a regular basis, including fruit, vegetables, milk, and animal-based side dishes. Occasionally, children may reject foods that are abundant in vitamins, leading to a lower consumption of essential nutrients for the body. Therefore, are additional vitamin supplements safe for children?
When do children need to take vitamins?
Children should not receive vitamin supplements without medical advice. Children should not receive vitamin supplements without medical advice. You need to consider dietary needs, overdose danger, drug interactions, and adverse effects.
Pediatricians recommend vitamin supplements for children with the following conditions:
- Children who are picky eaters and picky about food
- Children with chronic health conditions such as asthma or digestive problems
- Children who prefer to eat fast food
- Children who follow vegetarian diets and other types of diets
- Children who drink a lot of carbonated beverages
Vitamins children need for optimal health
Children with the aforementioned conditions require supplementary vitamin supplements. The following categories of supplements are most frequently required by children:
Vitamin A
Children require vitamin A for the maintenance of eye health and bone growth, to support the growth and development of cells and tissues, and to defend against infectious diseases. Age-dependent vitamin A requirements in children include the following:
| Age | Intake (mcgRAE) |
| 0-6 months | 400 |
| 7-12 months | 500 |
| 1-3 years | 300 |
| 4-8 years | 400 |
| 9-13 years | 600 |
| Boys 14–18 years old | 900 |
| Girls 14-18-year-old | 700 |
In addition to dietary supplements, natural food sources of vitamin A include fruits, meat, dairy products, dark green vegetables, yellow and orange vegetables, and fruit.
Vitamin B
Children's health benefits from several B vitamin types include:
- Vitamin B1, which facilitates food energy release for healthy nerve and muscle function,
- Vitamins B2 and B3, which facilitate food energy release
- Vitamin B6 facilitates brain function and red blood cell synthesis
- Vitamin B12, which boosts development and aids in the synthesis of red blood cells
Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral that supports the strength and function of bones and teeth, facilitates muscle contractions, helps in blood clotting, and regulates numerous hormones, including insulin.
Other crucial minerals and vitamins, such as phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K, increase the efficacy of calcium.
Calcium requirements in children are varied, including:
| Age (year) | Needs (mg per day) |
| 4-8 | 800 |
| 9-18 | 1,300 |
| 19 and above | 1,000 |
Iron
Iron is very important for children as it is involved in essential bodily functions such as oxygen transfer, energy metabolism, cognitive function, brain development, and the immune system.
The iron requirements of children also differ depending on their age, which may include:
| Age | Needs (mg per day) |
| 7-12 months | 11 |
| 1-3 years | 7 |
| 4-8 years | 10 |
| 9-13 years | 8 |
| Girls 14-18-year-old | 15 |
| Boys 14–18 years old | 11 |
Consult your pediatrician to determine whether your child requires vitamin supplements. The doctor can guide you on the proper dosage and type of vitamin supplements for your child.
If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
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- dr Nadia Opmalina
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