Everything you need to know about multivitamins for toddlers between 1 and 3 years old. Plus a list of the best nutritional supplements for toddlers.
As a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a specialty in pregnancy, babies and kids, I’m asked all the time about about whether or not toddlers should be taking nutritional supplements, especially if they are picky eaters! If you’ve wondered the same thing, you’re not alone and I’m here to guide you in your decision-making.
In this post, I share helpful information about nutrition supplements for toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 years old, and answer the questions:
- Does my toddler need a multivitamin?
- Does my picky eater need a multivitamin?
- Should I continue giving my toddler vitamin D drops?
- Should I give my toddler omega 3 supplement?
- Should I be giving my toddler an Iron Supplement?
- What supplements does my toddler need if we follow a vegetarian or vegan diet?
Multivitamins for Toddlers
From 12-24 months of age, if your child is growing well and you are feeding them according to their hunger cues and appetite (and are feeding a fairly well-balanced diet), they are likely getting what they need through food alone. If your child is 24-36 months, they should be eating at least 4 servings of fruits and veggies, 3 servings of whole grains/starches, 2 servings of milk and other dairy products and 1 serving of meats and alternatives according to Canada’s Food Guide. If you are unsure if your child is getting this, keep a two-three day food diary of what your child is eating and then assess from there.
Another way to look at it is if your toddler is eating a fairly well balanced diet, meaning 3 meals per day containing at least 3 different foods and 2 snacks a day containing at least 2 foods– and when I say foods I mean WHOLE foods, not processed packaged foods– then they are likely meeting their nutritional requirements, even if they are not eating everything offered.
Most kid’s multivitamins contain low doses of Vitamins A, B, C, D and E and some minerals, but it is unlikely that they aren’t receiving proper amounts of these nutrients from their diets anyways. Some exceptions are if your child is an extremely picky eater, failing to thrive, or has several food restrictions. In these cases, I would discuss their personal needs with a Pediatric Dietitian who may suggest a multivitamin among other supplements.
Vitamin D Drop for Kids
If I could suggest one Vitamin to supplement your toddler’s diet with it would be Vitamin D, especially if you live in Canada. Vitamin D is normally synthesized under our skin from sun exposure, but since we live in a climate where sun exposure is scarce (and we usually lather our kids in sunscreen when they are exposed to the sun), your little one is likely not getting enough.
You probably remember giving your baby 400 International Units (IU’s) of Vitamin D (if they were breastfed). Most kids then go on to drinking whole milk (about 2 cups per day), and eating yogurt and cheese on top of that, and at this point, most parents stop giving Vitamin D drops. However, the recommended amount of Vitamin D actually jumps from 400 IU’s to 600 IU’s after the age of one. One cup of milk only contains about 80-100 IU’s of Vitamin D, therefore, even if your child is having 2-3 servings of dairy per day, he or she is likely not meeting their requirement. Other food sources include fish, egg yolk, milk alternatives such as soy, and margarine, but even when these foods are included, your child will likely still need a supplement.
I would suggest continuing to give your toddler (and older child) a 400 IU drop everyday to be on the safe side. Vitamin D is important for bone health (calcium absorption), and there is promising research to suggest that this Vitamin D can help to prevent certain cancers, heart disease and even depression.
Omega-3 for Kids
Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acid (specifically DHA and EPA), naturally occurring in oily fish such as salmon, halibut, tuna and trout, have beneficial effects on brain, nerve and eye development in babies, toddlers and children. Although there are no concrete guidelines on how much Omega 3 children should be consuming, some experts believe that for children ages two to three, about 430 mg of DHA and EPA combined is appropriate. The best way to ensure that your toddler is getting enough Omega-3 is to serve oily fish at least twice a week. If your child does not eat fish for one reason or another, it may be beneficial to give him or her an Omega-3 fish oil supplement that is government regulated (NPN # somewhere on label), and age appropriate, daily. For more information on Omega-3’s for kids, check out my article over at the Yummy Mummy Club here.
All in all, if your tot is eating a well balanced diet most days, is growing steadily, and does not have several food restrictions, allergies, or intolerances, he or she likely does not need to take a multivitamin but should probably be taking 400 IU’s of Vitamin D3. If your little one does not eat two servings of oily fish per week, you also may want to consider giving them an Omega 3 Fish oil supplement (approx. 430 mg DHA/EPA).
Thanks for reading!
Comments
Child Nutrition says
Not knowing what or how to improve a child’s food-intake that would lead to their health improvement- it’s a common thing parents worry about. The article helps here by letting them know the necessities and solve a basic doubt of theirs. Immensely helped. Thanks!
sarahrem says
So glad that it’s helped! Thanks!
Child Supplement says
A very detailed article, it surely helped me know more about the nutrition children need and what exactly they might be lacking if their present food-intake routine continues. Thank you so much, Sarah.
sarahrem says
Awesome! Glad to hear!
Elle says
This article gave me a lot of information that I wasn’t aware of.
I never thought about the lack of vitamin D exposure. Especially with the use of sunscreen and the long winters it would seem that a vitamin D supplement is definitely called for.
I have never tried an Omega-3 fish oil supplement. Looks like that is going to go on my “must buy list”.
I will definitely be passing this information along to friends. I think it is important for adults, as well as children, to make sure that they are getting the proper nutrients.
It looks like a general multivitamin might not be enough!
Sarah Remmer says
Glad you found it helpful Elle!! Thanks for sharing!