Best Supplements for Growing Children

By: Micheal Berger

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As we know, markets and stores are full of all kinds of child growth nutritional supplements. So it becomes difficult to select the ones that are the best for our children. Let us focus on what are the best supplements for growing children.

 

Reasons for Giving Supplements for Growing Children

1. It is hard to keep an eye on nutrition of the kids.
2. In today’s fast world, it is difficult to know, what our children are putting into their bodies, and whether they are getting all the nutrition that they need.
3. By providing your children nutritional supplements, you can ensure that they are getting the essential vitamins and nutrients that their growing bodies need.

 

Child growth nutritional supplements are available in different forms and flavors. They contain all essential vitamins and minerals that a child needs every day.

As fast food restaurants are growing day by day, it is very hard to get all of the nutrition that is needed. As a result, giving supplementary nutrition to your growing child can have benefits. Let’s focus on these best supplements in the market.

Supplements for Babies (ages 0 to 2)

1. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfed babies receive 400 IUs per day of vitamin D supplements.
2. Although breastfed babies get most of the nutrients from mother’s milk, it does not contain enough vitamin D to fight against rickets. It is also noted that 63 percent of children between 1 to 5 ages have lower levels of vitamin D.
3. Doctors recommend that vitamin D3 given to the baby in liquid form can result in important nutritional supplement.
4. Babies born through normal delivery, tend to have a presence of beneficial bacteria to keep their intestinal flora in balance, while those who born via cesarean section need supplementation. Probiotics as a supplement can help put a baby’s system back in balance.

Supplements for Toddlers (ages 3 to 5)

1. During the toddler stage, multivitamins are needed to fill the deficiency. Multivitamins fulfill the need of folic acid, potassium, zinc, iron and vitamins A, C, E and D. Multivitamins continue to be an important supplement.
2. DHA which is omega-3 fatty acid is critical for brain development. Toddlers should get minimum 150 mg per day of DHA. Algae-derived sources, without the fishy taste, are now available in the market as a supplement.

 Supplements for Adolescents (ages 6 to 17)

1. In this age and the late teen years, kids need massive amounts of calcium to develop healthy bones and teeth. This is very important for lifetime. This age group should be given at least 600 mg of calcium citrate.
2. Magnesium is needed for normal nerve and brain functioning. But studies tell that magnesium intake decreases at this age. There is a need of 360 to 410 mg magnesium per day. So supplements containing magnesium is recommended.

There are many manufacturers who have started to launch supplements which are chewable and sweetened with organic fruit sugars, for e.g. xylitol. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine recommend that xylitol sweetener should be given to kids when their baby teeth are growing to prevent tooth decay. In this way, we can say that supplements help to provide the important nutrition to a growing child.

About the Author

 Dr Micheal Berger is a General Physician practicing in Seattle for 9 years. He likes to share medical and good health information for the benefit of mankind through his articles.

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