Providing enough vitamins and minerals will help children develop comprehensively both physically and mentally. Let’s review 5 essential vitamins and minerals for children in the article below!

Vitamins and minerals are essential for the comprehensive growth and development of young children. The need for nutritional supplements at each age, gender, weight and growth rate will often be different. In this article, Long Chau Pharmacy will summarize 5 essential vitamins and minerals for children, let’s find out now!

Calcium

When combined with vitamins D, K and magnesium, calcium plays a very important role in the development of a strong musculoskeletal system and strengthens the immune system. In addition, calcium also helps strengthen the function of the nervous system, supports blood clotting and helps the body convert food into energy.

Calcium plays a very important role in bone development and the immune system.

At each age stage, the need for calcium supplementation in children will be different:

• Children from 1 to 3 years old: The amount of calcium needed to supplement is about 700 mg per day.
• Children from 4 to 8 years old: The amount of calcium needed to supplement is about 1,000 mg per day.
• Children from 9 to 18 years old: The amount of calcium needed to supplement is about 1,300 mg per day.

Sources of calcium can come from foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, cereals, soy milk, cashews, walnuts, almonds, … and dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, spinach, kale, celery and Malabar spinach.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for the development of the skeletal system in children, preventing rickets and strengthening the immune system. In addition, this vitamin also helps increase the absorption of other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, calcium, iron and phosphorus. The amount of vitamin D that your baby needs to supplement each day is as follows:

• Children under 6 months old: Need to supplement about 400 IU/day.
• Children from 6 to 12 months old: Need to supplement about 400 IU/day.
• Children from 1 to 3 years old: Need to supplement about 600 IU/day.

Some foods rich in vitamin D include seafood, vegetable oils, oats, milk, fruit juices, mushrooms, fatty fish and fish oil. In addition, egg yolks, liver and cheese also contain small amounts of vitamin D. Parents can add these foods to their diet to ensure their children get enough nutrients.

Iron

Children need iron at all stages of development, helping red blood cells transport oxygen to all organs in the body. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, weakness, fatigue and irritability. For children from 1 to 18 years old, the amount of iron needed to supplement each day is about 7 – 15 mg, depending on age and gender.

Children need iron at every stage of development.

Most foods of animal origin usually contain hemoglobin iron, including red meat, poultry and fish. In addition, some other iron-rich foods include lamb, liver, nuts, beans, sunflower seeds, whole grains.

However, it should be noted that supplementing iron in too high a dose can be dangerous for children. Therefore, if giving children iron supplements, keep them out of reach and limit them to about 10 mg per day.

Vitamin C

Children need vitamin C for healthy immune function and development. In addition, this vitamin also helps maintain healthy skin, bones and blood vessels. Children need about 15 – 75 mcg of vitamin C per day, depending on age and gender.

Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables. However, food processing can affect the content of this micronutrient. Therefore, it is best to feed children directly with fresh foods.

The best sources of vitamin C include fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, kiwi, guava, mango, etc. In addition, vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes are also rich in vitamin C and are beneficial for health.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A plays an important role in protecting and maintaining the epithelium, skin, cornea, mucous membranes, trachea, small intestine and excretory glands in the body. In addition, vitamin A is also essential for the development of the skeletal system and enhances resistance to fight against infectious diseases. Children need to supplement about 300 – 900 mcg of vitamin A per day, depending on age and gender.

Vitamin A plays an important role in protecting and maintaining epithelial tissues.

Vitamin A can be found in both animal and plant sources. Some foods rich in vitamin A from animals include liver, eggs, fish, shrimp, milk, cheese, etc. Meanwhile, plant sources rich in vitamin A include pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers and yellow fruits such as mango, apricot and papaya. In addition, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, Malabar spinach, amaranth, kale, bok choy, etc. are also rich in vitamin A.

A balanced and nutritious diet will help children supplement enough necessary vitamins and minerals. However, sometimes, children are still at risk of nutritional deficiencies due to a lack of variety in their diet or due to illness. At this time, parents can consider using oral supplements. However, it is necessary to consult a nutritionist before using any supplement to ensure the safety of children.