In those periods when the frequency of illness in children increases, namely in the spring and winter, when children become more tired and more capricious, many parents start to wonder whether it is possible for a child who does not have a year to give vitamins, and if so, which ones ?
The widespread belief that vitamins are tasty and safe additives is very erroneous, especially when it comes to children up to a year. Any medications, including vitamins, can be prescribed only by a qualified doctor, and not based on your opinion or the opinions of your friends.
In winter, as well as infants, doctors often prescribe vitamin D. However, the dosage of the drug for "artificial" and infants is different, and an overdose or lack of vitamin can lead to very sad consequences. In addition, the intake of vitamin D will be useful if the child is in the fresh air every day for at least half an hour.
Vitamin C is usually supplied in sufficient quantities as one of the components of mother's milk. The mixture is also added ascorbic acid, the amount of which is approximately equal to the daily intake of vitamin. However, from the age of four months the child should be added to the diet fresh juices and fruits containing this vitamin, because at this age the mixture and breast milk do not provide enough vitamin.
Vitamins of other groups are prescribed for children by a qualified doctor, based on:
- Anamnesis of a life and disease of the child;
- Household conditions;
- Anamnesis of childbirth and pregnancy;
- Locations of the settlement (that is, the quality of available water, the amount of sunlight, the deficit or excess of minerals, etc.);
- Child's eating habits;
- Nutrition in the family.
Vitamins for children: which ones to choose?
Very often in advertising, manufacturers convince people that it is their vitamin complexes that are ideal for a child. However, when buying, it is worth remembering that you should focus not on what is said in the advertisement, but on the recommendations of the attending physician. For this, it is worthwhile to read carefully what is written on the package of the preparation and in its annotation. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the following:
- Is the occurrence or worsening of allergic diseases possible with the taking of this drug?
- If at the same time the child takes other medications - consult a doctor or pharmacist, whether it is possible to take these vitamins simultaneously with these medicines;
- How much the amount of vitamins, contained in a daily dose of the drug, corresponds to the needs of the child;
- And lastly - in what form are vitamins released and how they fit the child. Nowadays, preparations can be produced in the form of syrups, pastilles, drops, gels, chewing marmalade, etc.
It should be arranged for the child to regularly take vitamins. However, at the same time it is worthwhile to calculate, but can you and your family budget sustain a considerable expenditure on widely advertised expensive funds or stop at more affordable Russian drugs? Most companies that produce vitamins receive raw materials from several vitamin manufacturers, so there is not much difference in bioavailability.
In the spring and winter, vitamin supplements for children's nutrition are necessary. But for their choice, it is best to seek medical advice from a doctor.
The composition of the multivitamin preparation
Multivitamin preparations should be studied more closely than usual. Here it should be borne in mind that:
- Children up to one year do not need the use of multivitamins containing minerals;
- It is recommended that the composition of the drug included, tocopherol, calcium, selenium (only for children older than one year), retinol, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, iodine;
- It is better to abandon preparations containing tin, bromine, vanadium, nickel;
- Means, which do not indicate the dosage of the constituent components, it is better not to buy;
- It should be ensured that the preparation does not contain preservatives and colorants;
- Children who have a marked tendency to manifest allergic reactions should avoid using brightly colored syrups or tablets.