Komarovsky named the only vitamin that needs to be given to a child

In the autumn-winter period, all mothers are preoccupied with the question: to give this to a child so that he is less sick? Someone is trying to add onions and garlic to the diet, but not all children like such dishes. Someone lean on citrus fruits, and someone runs to the pharmacy for vitamin complexes. Doctor Evgeny Komarovsky calls such supplements useless and believes that artificially synthesized vitamins can only harm the child. It is much better to get them through a varied diet. An exception is one single vitamin, which, according to the WHO and the famous pediatrician, absolutely all children should take.

When does a child need vitamins?

Children need vitamins in rare cases / istockphoto.com

Yevgeniy Komarovskiy shared his opinion about vitamins in an interview for the Ukraine TV channel. The doctor criticized the ubiquitous practice in Ukraine: as soon as cold weather sets in, children are immediately given vitamins. First, in order for them to have at least some effect, you need to start the application a month before the critical period. Secondly, synthetic vitamins cannot be compared with natural micronutrients that we get from food.

At the same time, for good nutrition it is not at all necessary to feed the child "150 vegetables and fruits" every day, the doctor said. The main thing is that the diet is constantly present different product groups. During the day, the child should eat something meat, something fermented milk, some kind of cereal, vegetable and fruit. There should be fish at least twice a week.

This is enough to provide the body with all the vitamins necessary for health. The only thing is, try to have a variety of food. If it is meat: let it be chicken today and rabbit tomorrow. If it is fruit: give an apple and a banana today, and a tangerine and a persimmon tomorrow. If vegetables: let it be sauerkraut, and the next day - fresh carrot salad. So you will form the child's ku more correct eating habits and take care of his complete "vitaminization".

True, there are situations when vitamin complexes are really necessary for a child. For example, if he refuses a certain group of products. It often happens that the baby does not want to eat meat in any way, or does not tolerate milk and sour milk. It also happens that some vitamins are not absorbed by the child's body, and then a deficiency is formed. In this case, a consultation with a pediatrician is necessary, who will prescribe therapeutic or therapeutic and prophylactic vitamin complexes.

What vitamin should you give your child?

Vitamin D is indicated for use in children of all ages / istockphoto.com

There is one and only vitamin, the use of which is approved by the WHO and is indicated for children of all ages. This is vitamin D, which can be difficult to obtain from food. Most of this vitamin is found in cod liver, red fish, egg yolks and natural butter. However, even if you regularly eat these foods, it will not be enough for the body. The main amount of vitamin D is synthesized in our skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, it is also called the "vitamin of the sun".

And here it turns out a double-edged sword. On the one hand, sun exposure saturates the body with a vital vitamin (vitamin D deficiency causes such dangerous diseases as rickets and muscular dystrophy, and also increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus). On the other hand, intense exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the skin is fraught with the development of cancer, warns Yevgeny Komarovsky. Therefore, both the WHO and the Ukrainian pediatrician with regard to children believe that it is better to maintain the balance of vitamin D with pharmaceutical preparations.

The only thing to look out for when taking vitamin D is the dosage. For children under three years of age, a dose of no more than 400 IU (or 10 μg) is indicated. It is better to take the drug at this age in the form of an aqueous or oil solution. From the age of three until adolescence, the dosage of vitamin D is increased to 600 IU (or 15 μg). Such a dose for the purpose of prophylaxis is suitable not only for children, but also for all adults. But a higher dosage is prescribed only after consulting a doctor, because the "bust" of vitamin D is fraught with side effects.

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