Do you believe in giving your child vitamin supplements?

[bananacarnival]

I've always been giving my children cod liver oil syrup, some iron as my son was deficient... Plus occasionally some of the chewy multis.

Just read an article about the dangers of supplements being counterproductive because an excess can actually encourage tumour growth. This is according to recent research in Sweden. Particularly so for antioxidants like A and E.

I just feel bad because not only am I giving my children supplements I considered harmless, but I take a lot myself...

Any thoughts?
Thanks

Dd has just had her 2 year check and because shes not a brilliant eater the hv suggested i give dd a multivitamin. In under 3s it comes in a syrup form. I bought some last week but i ve forgotten to give it to her

Thanks officenewgirl...good luck

My kids have high dose vit d spray every day.

my ds has a paediatric multivitamin in a powder form, prescribed by a dietician because he has a very restricted diet.

Yeah, my kids have them when they remember . I bought them to countermand the general crap diet that they accidentally seem to have.

I think there are problems if you take multiple supplements as you can end up with an overdose. One tablet a day should not cause problems.

Thanks all

Provided the vitamins are not exceeded there shouldn't be an issue. Vit D is necessary and a multivitamin is also a good idea. Mine have these and fish oils.

The guidelines for breastfed babies suggest that they need vitamin D, especially as there's not enough in breast milk. For those on benefits/tax credits, these babies (rightly) receive these for free in the form of Healthy Start Vitamin Drops. Unfortunately for babies of mothers who do not receive these vouchers, they cannot be bought for them either (thanks for changes from the Department of Health in 2013). The over-the-counter alternatives for vitamins are vile (I have tried them), larger in volume and disgusting. No-one from Healthy Start will even tell me where their vitamins are manufactured so that we can buy them straight from the manufacturer. In fact, hardly anyone that I has spoken to (from a local level all the way up) has a clue as to the relevance of Vitamin D in breastfed babies.

I think this is unfair against people that do not receive vouchers and that are willing to buy these vitamins.

I would be grateful if you could sign and share my e-petition for the rules to be changed and that mothers can buy these vitamins and ALL babies can have access to them.

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/71846

Thanks.

We get Healthy Start drops for DS from the Children's centre. They include vitamins a, c & d and are cheap to buy. We aren't on benefits, docmummy & they're NHS supplied.

Will this supply dry up? I hope not!

Hey HenriettaTurkey,

I used to buy them from mine too and they refused to sell them to me based on Department of Health guidelines. I questioned them on it and they had no answers. To be honest, this is something that my health visitor has no clue about and no-one is willing to sell them in my area (despite an adequate stock).

I don't know of you've tried others, but they are vile!

It's also just the principle of how unfair it is, especially because of all the money that the NHS ploughs into breastfeeding and then fails these babies at the next hurdle (but only to working mothers). How unfair is that?

Please share and sign my e-petition so that things change. I have already been in touch with the DoH and my MP, but am waiting to hear back from them.

Thanks again though.

Signed :)

Thanks!