All good parents want to help support their child’s immune system as best they can but trying to find out what the recommend vitamins for kids are can be tricky as the information changes from one doctor to another. The most recent change has been that all children under 5 should now be taking vitamin D supplements. This is because it is believed that we do not get enough natural sunlight on our skin living in England. However, apart from this new piece of information that is being rolled out by all health professionals the information about what other vitamins children should be taking varies. Some health professionals believe that no additional vitamins are required if a child is having a well-balanced diet whereas others are suggesting that parents should be topping up their children’s vitamin C and Omega 3 levels.
What are the best vitamins for kids?
Vitamin D
Because we live in a place where sunshine is a rarity the chances of us getting enough Vitamin D is low. Therefore the recommendation has now changed and it is advised that all children under 5 should have daily doses of vitamin D. There are lots of options available for this but the ones that come highly recommended are the natures aid vitamin D drops. These can be added to food or drink or taken directly and are usually priced at around £5-6 with one pot lasting ages, so good value for money.
If you don’t like the idea of getting your child to take drops then chewable tablets are also available, although these are usually a little more expensive.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most well-known and popular vitamins for kids. It comes under the repair and protect category. It is vital for everyone but especially children as it helps them fight infection and stay healthy as well as repairing blood and skin cells. Vitamin C can be gained from eating lots of fruit, manly oranges but if you want to make sure your child is definitely getting their daily dosage then there are lots of options available. Vitamin C is usually one of the cheaper vitamins to get hold of.
Immune Support
Immune support are great for when children are at school and surrounded by other children with coughs, colds and winter bugs. Sambucol offer three different immune support vitamins;
Baby – for those aged 6 months onwards
Kids – aged 1-12
Original for those aged 12 and over.
The Sambucol immune support for kids is available in chews or as a liquid, both are delicious and packed full of natural black elderflowers and vitamin C to help strengthen the immune system.
Multi Vitamins
Multi vitamins are a cover all bases type vitamin. They are great if you are unsure what it is you child may or may not be lacking in or you just want to give them a little extra boost. There are lots of varieties available but the ones that always seem to come out on top are the Haliborange ones. I think this is mainly because they are tasty and kids will eat them very willingly like sweets.
Omega 3
Omega 3 should be a vital part of your child’s diet as it supports eye and brain function. In adults the intake should also be increased when pregnant or breastfeeding to further support the development of our babies.
We have been using the Equazen oil and tablets for a while now. They have a range of products available to suit the whole family including pregnant women and babies. There products are good value for money and although they do not taste great because they are fish oil based they are the only ones that contain high enough levels Omega 3 that I can get my children to take. The chewable tablets are the easiest as although they are chewable my children prefer to just swallow them whole, however they will also have the liquid as long as they have a glass of juice to wash it down with straight after. Having tried a few Omega 3 oils I can definitely recommend this one.
If you buy any additional vitamins for kids then I would love to know which ones you recommend and why and I will add them to this list so that everyone else can give them a try too if they want.
For some information and recommendations for vitamins and supplements for adults check out our reviews of Wassen and Nutrition Geeks.