Do children need vitamins and supplements?

Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, Pediatric Dietitian, shares advice for parents on whether your child should be taking a daily multi-vitamin, and which supplement she most often recommends for kids
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Do children need vitamins and supplements?

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Most children don't need a daily multiple vitamin if they're consuming foods from all of the food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, all of the whole grains, all of the food groups. We absorb nutrients better from foods than we do from supplements. That being said, the typical American diet, we are not usually getting fish, and we are not usually getting all of the things that we really need to stay strong and healthy. So a lot of the time I am recommending Omega 3 fatty acids and a probiotic, because those are the two things that have been recommended to help with brain development in young children, immunity, and digestive health. So those are two things that I typically recommend. Again, with any supplement, with any vitamin, you always want to talk to a physician first. But I believe in targeted supplementation. Not an overall broad vitamin. Some children do need multi-vitamins, but those are the two that I generally work with.

Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, Pediatric Dietitian, shares advice for parents on whether your child should be taking a daily multi-vitamin, and which supplement she most often recommends for kids

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Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD

Pediatric Dietitian

Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD is the founder of NutritionWise, a nutrition consulting practice based in Los Angeles.  She enjoys working with clients in all ages and stages of the lifespan and has specialized training in working with children and families. As a trusted partner who works closely with her clients and their physicians, she specializes in medical nutrition-related issues including food allergies, diabetes (type I, II and gestational), overweight/obesity, celiac disease, feeding disorders, failure to thrive, cardiac disease, eating disorders, and others.  Nicole’s approach and philosophy are based on a client-centered model.  She looks at each client on an individual basis and develops their plan according to their specific needs.  Nicole works with her clients to develop realistic and attainable goals. 

Prior to opening her private practice, she practiced as a clinical dietitian at the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (outpatient clinics, school-based clinics, community education), at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.  

In addition to her clinical work, Nicole publishes her own newsletter, NutritionWise Monthly. She has contributed to numerous publications and websites including Healthy Child Healthy World, Breezy Mama, Parenting, The Bump, ICAN (Infant, Child and Adolescent Nutrition- a professional publication) and is a frequent speaker to local schools, corporations and the community at large. Nicole has also provided consulting services to several national food and beverage companies.  She is the founder of the San Fernando Valley Family Food Allergy Support Group and is on the medical advisory board for the Celiac Disease Foundation. 

Nicole received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts Degree in Preventive Nutrition from the University of Southern California. She then completed the Dietetic Internship program at California State University Northridge.

 

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Transcription: 
Most children don't need a daily multiple vitamin if they're consuming foods from all of the food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, all of the whole grains, all of the food groups. We absorb nutrients better from foods than we do from supplements. That being said, the typical American diet, we are not usually getting fish, and we are not usually getting all of the things that we really need to stay strong and healthy. So a lot of the time I am recommending Omega 3 fatty acids and a probiotic, because those are the two things that have been recommended to help with brain development in young children, immunity, and digestive health. So those are two things that I typically recommend. Again, with any supplement, with any vitamin, you always want to talk to a physician first. But I believe in targeted supplementation. Not an overall broad vitamin. Some children do need multi-vitamins, but those are the two that I generally work with.