This is a common question posed to pediatricians. Generally, pediatricians do not endorse vitamins for children. Cereal, flour and other staples are vitamin-fortified. Even the irregular diets of toddlers contain adequate vitamins. In addition, he says, vitamins are no substitute for healthy eating.
Vitamins perform an array of functions that affect a child's mental and physical health.
Minerals, such as calcium and iron, are also found in foods. However, calcium deficiencies are common among U.S. children of all ages, primarily because they are guzzling sodas and juice instead of milk. If your child does not like milk or can't drink it, many other foods contain calcium. Your pediatrician can provide you with a list of calcium-rich foods. Iron deficiency-anemia, a blood disease marked by diminished hemoglobin, is fairly common in infants, children and adolescents.