As vegetarian parents you have already made a conscious nutritional choice concerning your children. Because of your diet and life choices you may already know more about nutrition than average parents. As your children grow from infancy into childhood, you want to make sure they have the healthiest diet possible. But as we all know, babies and toddlers are notoriously choosy eaters. Do you add nutritional supplements and multivitamins to your child's diet? If not, how do you know your child is getting the right amounts of various supplements?
Many doctors, naturopaths and holistic health practitioners recommend against multivitamin supplementation for babies. Breastfed infants get adequate nutrition and the right amounts of the required vitamins and minerals. Dr. William Sears goes one step further: "Consider vitamin supplements a drug to be prescribed exclusively breasted term infants do not need vitamins." Dr. Sears believes that commercial formulas contain adequate vitamins as well. (http://www.askdrsears.com)
When do babies need vitamins?
It is often recommended that mothers continue to take prenatal vitamins while nursing. Also, after the age of six months, breast milk may not provide enough vitamin D for infants. As little as 30 minutes per week of sunlight will provide the amount of vitamin D needed for babies (Vegetarian Resource Group, http://www.vrg.org). If your child has special nutritional needs, your pediatrician may recommend a specific vitamin or multivitamin.
Once babies start eating solid food, they drink less breast milk or formula, and their diets often become a bit random. At this time, health care practitioners do sometimes recommend supplemental vitamins. Dr. Barry Zuckerman, chairman of the department of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine says, "We recommend giving vitamins only when parents remain so concerned about their child's nutrition that mealtime means forcing, cajoling or bribing him to eat a variety of foods." (Child, April 1999)
Parents do need to make sure that vegan toddlers get a good source of vitamin B-12. Fortified soymilk is one of the best sources. For instance, one eight ounce serving of Silk Plain Soymilk contains 50% of the Recommended Daily Values for an adult. B-12 is usually not a concern for toddlers who consume eggs or dairy products. Calcium can also be a concern, especially for vegan toddlers, but again, fortified soymilk as well as many vegetables can provide the appropriate amount of calcium for young children.
Which Multivitamins are best?
When looking for a multivitamin, it is easiest to choose one that clearly states "vegetarian" on the label, because many ingredients, both in the sources of the vitamins themselves and in the colorings and flavorings, can be from animal products. There are many vegetarian children's multivitamins on the market, including the following:
Children's Chewable Vitalets
Nature's Plus Animal Parade
Kid Bears for Daily Wellness by Kid Care (gummy vitamins)
NF Formulas Children's Liquid Multivitamin
Vegetarian Yummy Bears (gummy vitamin)
Some of these multivitamins also have other nutritional supplements like supportive herbs, omega-3 fatty acids or acidopholus. Be sure to read ingredients carefully and know what your child is taking. You may have to try a couple of different chewables before finding one your child likes. Babies and young toddlers should be given liquid vitamins. Gummy vitamins may be easier for younger children to chew than the hard chewables. Of course, you can always break a large vitamin in half.
Ultimately, a healthy and diverse diet is best for getting the nutrients necessary for a healthy life. Researchers are realizing there's more to nutrition than vitamins, and there are micronutrients in food that cannot be reproduced with synthetic supplements.
--Amy O'Neill Houck is a vegan chef and a Web developer.
