5 Nutritional Supplements Your Child May Need

Every mother knows that there is nothing better for a baby than breast milk. It is from there that the child receives not only strength, energy and immunity, but also all the vitamins and minerals necessary for development. Nevertheless, starting from 4-6 months, some microelements in mother's milk become insufficient for a growing body. Why is this happening, and what additives need to be introduced into the child's diet along with complementary foods, nutritionist Lyudmila Denisenko said on her website.

Vitamin D

Doctors prescribe vitamin D to babies from birth / istockphoto.com

Vitamin D is a unique trace element that our body can synthesize on its own from ultraviolet radiation. Nevertheless, doctors prescribe it to all babies from birth, no matter what time of year the baby was born. The fact is that for the formation of vitamin D physical activity is needed: that is, it is not enough to take a baby in a stroller out into the sun. In addition, breast milk contains little of this trace element: only 10-80 IU per 1 liter. You can make simple calculations: if a baby sucks, on average, 800 ml per day (the norm for 2 months), then only 8-60 IU of vitamin enters his body. And this despite the fact that the daily dose of this vitamin for children from birth to one year is 400 (!) IU.

Vitamin D deficiency is unpleasant even for adults (at first, it appeals to apathy, loss of energy, headaches, and in a neglected state it can lead to osteoporosis). But for children, the lack of this trace element is fraught with rickets and developmental delays. That is why the WHO insists that it should be introduced into the diet as a supplement for all children - both breastfed and formula-fed. The prophylactic dose for babies under one year old is the same: 400 IU per day. If you suspect your child is acutely deficient in vitamin D, the pediatrician should prescribe a therapeutic dosage.

Iron

All babies are born with a certain amount of iron in the body (neonatal supply). This stock is enough for them, as a rule, up to 4-6 months. Plus, they get their iron from their mother's milk. Despite the fact that there is quite a bit of it there, iron from breast milk is absorbed best by the child's body. On average, at the age of 2-3 months from 800 ml, the baby receives 0.35 mg of this trace element with a daily rate of 0.27 mg. But this is a perfect picture, which, unfortunately, is far from reality. According to statistics, more than half of young mothers in Ukraine suffer from iron deficiency anemia. This means that they have less iron in milk than the child needs. Therefore, the entire neonatal supply of the baby is "spent" by the age of 4 months

Iron deficiency in a child leads to lethargy, tearfulness, lethargy, and digestive problems (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation). And in the long term, iron deficiency anemia can cause delays in the development of the baby. Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends iron supplements for babies who are breastfed from 4 months of age. On average, from 4 to 12 months, a child needs about 7-10 mg of this trace element per day. Keep in mind that only 10% of the iron obtained from food is absorbed in the body.

Omega-3

Ideally, PUFAs should enter the body with mother's milk / istockphoto.com

Our body cannot synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) Omega-3. You can get them only with food, and moreover, with certain foods that are introduced into the child's diet rather late. These are mainly fish, seafood, nuts and seeds. There is also little Omega in mother's milk: on average (if you do not live in Kamchatka, do not eat sea fish every day and do not take supplements with PUFA), it is 0.5 mg per 100 ml. Based on the same 800 ml per day, a child at 2 months receives from his mother only 4 mg of Omega-3. Moreover, the daily rate for 6 months is 500 mg.

As a rule, children are not prescribed Omega-3 for up to six months. If the baby is breastfed, it is best for the mother to take this supplement and “fortify” her milk. But after 6 months, babies can be given PUFA in liquid form (in the form of drops): the prophylactic dose is 400-500 mg per day. However, in this matter, it is very important to consult a pediatrician. Although it is believed that omega-3 is conditionally harmless to humans, recent studies have shown that an overdose of this vitamin can lead to heart problems

Magnesium

Everyone knows that magnesium is very beneficial for the nervous system. However, it also plays a key role in processes such as bone building and protein synthesis, glucose breakdown and energy production. Magnesium regulates bowel function, stimulates the production of antibodies and inhibits the development of inflammatory processes in the body. Magnesium deficiency in children causes anxiety, and can manifest itself as muscle tension, cramps, and spasms. Usually it is diagnosed at a pediatric neurologist's appointment.

Up to a year, magnesium in the form of supplements is prescribed for children quite rarely, and only for medical reasons (ideally, a neurologist should prescribe an analysis for the level of magnesium). In order to independently increase the level of magnesium in the child's body, a nursing mother should take it herself supplements with magnesium content, and introduce foods containing it into complementary foods (green vegetables, meat, cottage cheese, bananas). From 12 months, you can use a drinking solution of magnesium (sold in pharmacies) in a prophylactic dosage of 80-100 mg.

Iodine

Iodine supplements can be given to babies from 6 months old / istockphoto.com

One of the main problems of our time is iodine deficiency. It is necessary for the body to synthesize thyroid hormones. But the lack leads to mental retardation, problems of psychomotor development and the formation of the musculoskeletal system of the child. According to statistics, in Ukraine every tenth baby is born with iodine deficiency. And this despite the fact that the prophylactic intake of iodine-containing drugs is prescribed to every pregnant woman.

From birth to six months, the daily requirement of a child for iodine ranges from 80 to 120 mcg. But the baby should receive it only from the mother's milk. Therefore, if you drank iodine supplements during pregnancy, do not stop doing so during breastfeeding. But from 6 months, the need for this trace element in a child increases to 130-150 mcg, while milk (taking into account the introduction of complementary foods) is less than before. Based on this, many pediatricians from six months to three years recommend giving the baby iodine supplements. The prophylactic dosage is not more than 100 mcg, all that is higher must be agreed with the pediatrician.

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