In an ideal world, almost all children should be taking multivitamins. In most cases, there isn’t really going to be any harm in it. It will just help to round out the child’s diet ‘just in case’. However, there are situations where we would 100% recommend a multivitamin for kids. If you don’t give your child a multivitamin in these situations, then you are going to be doing them a massive disservice.
Their diet is restricted
If your child is following a highly restricted diet e.g. they are a vegan or vegetarian, then there is a strong chance that they will not be getting absolutely everything that they need into their diet.
While a multivitamin may not always be needed if you really are taking control of their diet and ensuring that they get everything that they do need, it certainly couldn’t hurt. At least with a multivitamin, the chances of your child getting absolutely everything that they need into their diet will increase by a considerable amount.
Your child is a picky eater
Let’s face it. Most children are going to be picky eaters.
While the vast majority of them will eventually grow out of this phase, there will still be a point in their life where they are not going to be getting absolutely everything that they need into their diet. This is especially true if your child seems to only be focusing on certain foods, or if they do not seem to be eating a complete meal.
Slow growth on the physical and developmental level
If your child seems to be growing a little bit slower than their peers, then this could indicate that they are not getting certain vitamins and minerals into their diet. Of course, you should still always talk to your doctor if you are really concerned about your child’s development but, in many cases, it is going to be down to some sort of nutritional deficiency.
Once again, there is not going to be any harm in supplementing your child with multivitamins. In fact, it is more likely to do good than anything else, even if you do believe your child does have a nutritional balance.
Your child suffers from allergies
If your child suffers from allergies, then this could indicate a deficiency in the immune system. Many parents find that supplementing their child’s diet can either help reduce the symptoms of their child’s allergies, or it may help to eliminate the allergies altogether.
Your child suffers from a chronic illness
If your child suffers from a chronic illness, then it is especially important that your child takes multivitamins. You can’t really rely on your child’s diet to give them everything that they need. This is vital if your child has an illness related to their immune system. The added nutrients will help to benefit it.
Of course, you do need to remember that no multivitamin is going to act as a substitute for whatever the doctor prescribes to your child. So, make sure that you use the medication alongside the multivitamin. The doctor may even recommend that your child uses a multivitamin here.
Conclusion
Remember, if you want to give your child the best vitamin boost possible, then it is important that you pick up a high-quality multivitamin. This will guarantee that your child will be getting all of the nutrients that they need. Do not opt for cheaper options. The vitamins tend not to be absorbed quite as well by the body. They are also packed full of fillers that may end up doing more harm than good.