Does Your Child Need Vitamins? An Expert Answers

I am so excited to have teamed up with Tania Koerber, a Registered and Licensed Dietitian/ Nutritionist and Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition! – How is THAT for a mouthful (ha ha ha – pun intended).

I recently offered my Facebook friends the chance to have a question answered by a Pediatric Nutritionist. The feedback was overwhelming as I think many of us have the same worries and concerns about proper diet and eating habits. Tania answered several of the questions by addressing the underlying issues and concerns. Today’s article is based on a question several of my readers asked, and with good reason:

Vitamins for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and young children… are they necessary?

• Babies rarely need supplementation. Breast milk and infant formulas are designed to be complete with multivitamins and minerals for babies to grow and thrive.

• As the infant start a solid diet, enriched cereals (with vitamins and minerals) are introduced in the diet, and more variety of food groups (and nutrients) is eventually added to the child’s diet.

• The only cases in which supplementation may be needed throughout childhood are the following:
o extreme picky eaters (or selective eaters) – when a whole food group is excluded,
o strenuous activities (competitive sports lasting more than 2 hours/day, more than 4 days/week),
o chronic illness affecting absorption of nutrients (like in GI disorders)
o multiple food allergies (when food restriction is needed).

• It’s important to remember that supplements are not controlled by the FDA. Companies make billions of dollars selling them.
o Some vitamins and minerals can be toxic and dangerous in high dosages. Don’t trust that something is “needed” or even “safe” just because it is on a store shelf.
o Some herbs and “natural ingredients” can also cause harm to a developing child.
o When in doubt if your child needs (or doesn’t need) supplementation, be sure to always check with your child’s pediatrician or dietitian/nutritionist! They can also consult on the proper dosage for your child.

Our next Q&A session with Tania is focused on how to avoid weight gain in children who are on a long-term steroid regiment.

Tania practices here in Palm Beach County where I met her years ago. She made a house call to us when I had some concerns about one of our boys. She had me prepare for the appointment by completing a questionnaire and a food journal for several days. Then she visited our home, met with our son and she spent a considerable amount of time giving me strategies, ideas and inspiration as to how we could navigate our concerns. Tania is happy to do in-home consultations from Port St. Lucie to Boca Raton, Florida. Tania’s expertise ranges from addressing Failure to Thrive/ poor weight gain concerns, and feeding difficulties (including picky eating) to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Chronic GI disorders, food allergies, sports nutrition – and everything in between.

Do you give your child vitamins or any supplements? 

Don’t miss the other expert answer from Tania addressing how to “Avoid Weight Gain From Steroid Use!”

Please reach out to Tania Koerber, RD, CSP, LD/N with your own pediatric nutrition issues. Be sure to tell her that you found her on Mama in the Now.

Contact Tania: taniard@bellsouth.net, (561) 313-9193

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