Please may I have your opinions on giving vitamins to 2.4 yr old?

[Moredofbumsnet]

I took dc3 2.4 yrs to her 2.6 health check and was told by the community nursery nurse that the nhs advice is now vitamin supplements for all under 5s. She said it was the advice even if dc is eating a well balanced diet and going outside lots. This is new to me. I normally follow nhs advice but supplementing a dc on a well balanced diet goes against my instincts.

She is right, the NHS do recommend this. Have a look here.

My opinion is that it is madness if the diet is balanced and healthy. but I'm sure it's easier for the NHS to make the blanket recommendation to catch those who really need it (although I'd argue that they might not give them supplements anyway).

Thanks. I assumed she was right JJJ but as I said I am between following this advice as well meaning and 'not doing any harm' and it going against my instincts which would be to get nutrition from diet not supplements.

I think it is blanket advice because it can be difficult to get enough vit d into children's diets.

I give ds (2.4) vits and iron, because he has very limited diet.

Funny how this blanket advice for vitamin supplements has coincided with welfare cuts.

Its good that you have such faith in your HV then More, I always took what outdated and sometimes dangerous information my HVs gave with a huge pinch of salt .

I didn't supplement mine but don't think a little extra vitamin D would have gone amiss.

No JJJ i do not always take my HV advice but I generally follow nhs guidance.Some HV advice is pure fiction it's a bit hit and miss round here so I tend to check in 'birth to 5'. Still not sure about the vits though....I think it will come down to whether or not it contains load of junk like calpol does.

I've read it's all about vit D and in this country we are all probably lacking in vit D so maybe we should all be taking it.

I think there is new evidence about the need for, and lack of, vitamin D, particularly in countries like the UK.