Can i give my 2.5 yr old vitamins for 3+?

[runnervt]

I can only find the chewy sweet ones for 3+ and he wouldn't be happy taking syrup stuff. He's quite run down after illness and I'd really like to get a decent dose of vitamins into him (fussy eater too). I've tried looking for dosage information on the internet to see how different it is for under 3 vitamins but I'm struggling to find anything.

Any thoughts?

I wouldnt the guideline for 3+ is there for a reason. TBH you need to take vitamins for about 3 months before they show any effect.

I think the 3+ thing is just because they are in tablet form (i.e. risk of choking). Probably best to ask a pharmacist (or HV, or doctor)

I did as ds was about the size of a 3 year old by then. Its probably to do with a choking risk rather than anything else. I think you can get chewy vitamins for age 2+ as well but they arent so easy to find. We use the bassetts ones

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking it might be a choking thing. Ds2 is a wee boy though and nearer a 2 year old in size than three. Guess it might be best to ask a pharmacist.

would he definately not take syrup? i had some orange flavour tonic to be used after illness and it worked really well on my 1yr old and 2yr old. they love taking calpol and all the syrupy vitamin stuff! they got even more excited when i found a free orange syringe for giving nurofen. what about toddler formula milk instead?

I'm afraid he's also a medicine refuser and takes a lot of effort (and chocolate bribes) to get him to take anything. And it all falls apart when he's really miserable and ill as he isn't interested in the bribe! Chewy tablets would potentially be far easier.

well that's no good! i have great difficulty persuading one child he doesn't need medicine when the other one does - i get fake coughs and "can i have some more now?!)
would he notice if you hid or mixed it in food or juice?

He might not notice in food or juice but I just wouldn't have any confidence that he'd actually eat/drink the spiked item. Or eat/drink all of it. He does like smoothie but usually takes two days to finish one carton but if I spiked that then I guess he'd probably average out to half the dose. Might be better than nothing though.