Does My Toddler Need A Vitamin Supplement?

Does my toddler need a vitamin supplement?

Toddlers and food can be a slippery slope, which makes the decision about whether or not to give your little one vitamin supplements even more challenging. When you provide your toddler with choices from all the different food groups – and combine that with the opportunity to combine freedom with food by allowing her to experiment with color, texture, and taste – most toddlers are eating a balanced diet. However, that is not always the case for every toddler.

The decision about giving your toddler vitamins is difficult because toddlers can be picky and resistant to eating a variety of foods. This can get even more complicated because some vitamins, such as the fat-soluble vitamins (A and D), may even pose risks according to the American Pediatric Association. Fat soluble vitamins can be stored in the tissue when consumed in excess; and high doses of minerals such as zinc and iron taken over an extended time period can have negative effects on a toddler’s body.

For some children, however, supplementation may be important; for example, families in which certain foods are excluded because of dietary practices at home or limited access to fresh foods. It is important that you consult with your pediatrician if you are considering vitamin supplements.

Iron deficiency can also occur among some young children.The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends toddlers receive at least 15 milligrams of iron a day in their food, but some children prefer drinking milk to eating, which can lessen a toddler’s interest in foods which are iron rich. Giving up that bottle of milk may be hard for your toddler or you if it is your ace in the hole for sleep or a few minutes of peace.Create a plan when you are ready to say goodbye to the bottle. Visualize how this will go and prepare yourself. Toddlers will learn coping techniques when their bottle is gone and you may see that they are much more eager to eat and taste different foods at mealtimes.

It can be tempting to use guilt or bribery when we are worried about our toddler’s eating habits and dietary intake, but the only take-away most toddlers have from being bribed is about power – who has it and who wants it.Try to be relaxed about your toddler’s meal times. Keep meals simple and introduce new things with old favorites. Try to keep a healthy eating environment at home and don’t skip meals yourself. Keeping an active lifestyle helps create better eating success at mealtimes. At snack times, try to add snacks that have greater nutritional value. Sometimes broccoli tastes better at the park.

Talk with your pediatrician if you are considering giving your toddler a vitamin supplement. Sometimes worries about our children’s nutritional health is warranted and sometimes it may be more connected to our own food struggles.

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Marsha Greenberg is a therapist in New York City. She is the author of the newly released book, Raising Your Toddler, by Globe Pequot Press. She has masters degrees in Child and Family Development and Social Work from the University of Michigan. As the Director of the Health Systems Child Care Program for over 14 years, she was responsible for over 250 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years of age. Marsha teaches in the Early Childhood Special Education department at NYU and has a private psychotherapy practice in NYC. Marsha is the mother of three grown sons and has three grandsons (aged 4 and 18 months and 4 months) with a new grandchild on the way.