do you givve your children vitamin suplements?

[ditsydoll]

And if so how old are your dc and what do you give?
My dd has a really good well balanced diet but she is abit of a grazer and I worry she doesn't eat enough sometimes to get all the vits she needs.

She's a healthy weight and is otherwise a fit and healthy almost 4yo.

Should I be giving her any vitamins?

[canoodle]

I give mine children's teddy bear vitamins from www.healthspan.co.uk/ or sometimes Floradix. They have them once a day - after supper, and they see them as a treat because they taste really nice. I don't do it in summer, just in the winter months when their immune systems could do with a boost.

[StellaNova]

I do give DS1 (5) the chewy multi vitamins that begin with H, can't remember what they are called.

He actually eats OK, but last year he was ill almost constantly throughout the winter so I thought a bit of a boost might help, and did seem to a bit although you never know he could just have stopped getting ill.

I would like to give them to DS2 who doesn't eat nearly as well, and also is often ill, but it says over threes on the packet, and he is two and a half.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I don't give them to mine. I dislike the vitamin supplement industry and am deeply sceptical of the need for them if children are fed a healthy, balanced diet.

[PoisonMountain]

I have just started giving DS them. He has just turned 3 and I was told that its not recommended to give them when younger. He has also just started refusing to eat veg and he has a lot of contact with other children and DH is very annoying if he gets ill.

[MrsJamin]

We have has back to back viruses over the past 5 weeks so I have been giving my boys (2&4) the bassetts fruity sweet ones. I don't know whether it will make any difference as they eat a balanced diet but I thought it was worth a try as I am getting fed up of the snot and coughs.

[kirstytate]

DD1 was always a terrible eater so I started giving her the chewy ones when she turned three - she loves them. DD2 eats well but won't be left out so she gets one too (she's two and a half). I always assumed the recommendation not to give them to under 3s was because of the choking risk but DD2 is fine with them and I don't think they can do any harm.

[EdithWeston]

The guidelines changed recently. Up to age 5, a supplement containing vitamin D is now recommended by NHS.

[FannyFifer]

Vit D is the only essential I give, so much research being done re links to MS etc.

[TheNightwearBeforeChristmas]

I give my 4 yo DS a chewable vitamin. I try to give him a balanced diet but I don't think he gets enough from food at pre-school. I don't know the name but they contain Omega 3, vit a,b,c.

[ceeveebee]

I give abidec syrup to my 13 mo twins, have done since 6 months old and will do until 5 - its pretty much impossible to get enough vitamin D from food and sunshine alone in the UK

[orangina]

The dc get fish oils and a vit D supplement every day at the moment....

[camgirl]

orangina what supplements do you give? Mine have the Bassetts early health plus with omega 3 etc but I wonder how much is absorbed?

I also give a dose of Spatone in juice now and again if they're looking a bit peaky. And either a powdered pre/probiotic supplement with food or an ohso chocolate with probiotics as neither of them like yogurt.

[IWillOnlyEatBeans]

Ds (2.10) get one of the Bassett Chewy vitamins with Omega 3.

He has a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg, but he doesn't eat much in the way of fish (my fault as I am terrified of it!)

[orangina]

camgirl, they get eskimo fish oils and a Biocare BioDmulsion vit D in drop form.

And they also get a probiotic, some powder that gets stirred into a glass of milk in the morning (can't remember the make of it.....).

(sorry for delayed reply, have been offline on MN for a while.....!)

[TerraNotSoFirma]

3yo DD gets a chewable daily multivitamin. Tesco own brand.
She has some days where she would eat you out of house and home and others where she eats hardly anything.