Babies and children often fail to eat a diet that contains adequate amount of vitamins. Sometimes, it is difficult to get vitamins through food. To solve this problem, vitamin supplements are given to babies and children. Parents should consult a health expert or a doctor about how to give vitamin drops to babies and children. A pharmacist can recommend the best supplement that would be appropriate for your child.
Children should be given the exact dose of vitamins as recommended by a health expert. Do not give excess dose of vitamins to children as it can cause harm. Vitamins can be obtained through food sources. Parents should have knowledge about the vitamins that are good for babies and children. The best vitamins for babies and children are as follows.
Vitamins For Babies And Children
Vitamin A
Babies and children need Vitamin A for a strong immune system, good vision and healthy skin. Vitamin A is required for rapid growth and fighting infections.
Vitamin A is found in foods like dairy products, carrots, sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, mango, fortified fat spreads and cabbage. Vitamin A supplements should be given to babies and children as it helps in decreasing child mortality.
Vitamin C
Babies and children need Vitamin C for a strong immune system and improving the state of general health. Vitamin C helps the body in absorbing iron. Children who are 1-3 years old need 15 mg of Vitamin C daily.
Children who are 4-8 years old need 25 mg Vitamin C daily. Vitamin C is found in foods like oranges, strawberries, guava, papaya and tomato. It is also found in peppers, grapefruit, kiwifruit and broccoli.
Vitamin D
Babies and children need Vitamin D for a healthy body. Vitamin D helps in making the bones, nerves and muscles healthy. The vitamin helps in the absorption of calcium. Children who have Vitamin D deficiency suffer from rickets and osteoporosis. Vitamin D is found in foods like oily fish like tuna and salmon. It is also found in eggs and breakfast cereals. Babies can be given infant foods fortified with Vitamin D.
Vitamin D can be obtained through sunlight. Babies and children should avoid too much sun exposure when the weather is hot as it can burn the skin. Babies and children should be given Vitamin drops apart from getting sun exposure. Babies and children who are 6 months to 5 years old need 7-8.5 microgram Vitamin D daily.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is very important for babies and children. Newborn babies are often deficient in Vitamin K, which can cause hemorrhagic disease. Newborn babies are given Vitamin K in the form of injections. Vitamin K is very important for blood clotting. Vitamin K deficiency can cause bleeding and bruising. It is important to give infants infant foods fortified with Vitamin K. Parents should give Vitamin K drops to babies.
Children who are 1-6 month old need 2 micrograms Vitamin K daily. Children who are 7-12 months old need 2.5 micrograms Vitamin K daily. Children who are 1-3 years old need 30 micrograms Vitamin K daily. Children who are 4-8 years old need 55 micrograms Vitamin K daily. Children who are 9-13 years old need 60 micrograms Vitamin K daily. Vitamin K can be obtained through foods like spinach, strawberries, broccoli, eggs, beans, meat, asparagus and soybeans.
