Kids Vitamins – What’s Safe and What Isn’t

From infants through adolescence and beyond, children need a complex range of vitamins and minerals to support their growth and development. While a healthy diet is an absolute must for all children, kids vitamins can serve as a good supplement during these important years.

Parents can often be overwhelmed with the number of choices for kids vitamins on the shelves of grocery, drug, and health food stores. Many of the labels tout confusing promises such as “supports optimal brain function” and “provides a full day supply of vegetables.”  So when it comes to dietary supplements for kids, it’s important to know what is needed, what’s not, and what is simply too much.

One of the most essential nutrients for growing children is iron. It is found in many kids vitamins, and many doctors also encourage parents to introduce plenty of iron-fortified foods into their children’s diet. Babies are tested for anemia at nine to 12 months, and close monitoring in some children is necessary.

Iron deficiencies can be prevented through supplementation. However, it is important to choose a formula that doesn’t exceed more than 100% of the daily requirement for iron. Natural vitamins for kids, such as Animal Parade from Nature’s Plus, provides a smaller percentage of iron so that it can be safely combined with a diet that contains iron-fortified foods. An overdose of iron can be very serious, so it’s important to consult with your child’s doctor to determine the right amount of supplementation that is needed.

Besides iron, vitamin D is another nutrient that is often lacking in kids. Particularly in northern latitudes where these is limited amounts of sun exposure, vitamin D deficiencies are very common. Children that don’t have enough vitamin D to support tooth and bone formation are at risk of developing rickets, as well as osteoporosis later in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants, children, and adolescents get 400 units of vitamin D each day. This can be accomplished by providing your child kids vitamins.

Animal Parade Sugar Free Multi Chewables contain 100% of the daily value for highly bioavailable vitamin D3 along with vitamins A, C, E B12, B6 and other B vitamins. And, because they are sweetened with tooth-friendly xylitol, they have decay-preventative properties. These kid-friendly chewables also contain a bounty of healthful foods including spirulina, broccoli, carrot, brown rice, and spinach and other immune-supporting phytonutrients to provide a complete kids vitamins formula that can support your child’s health as they grow.