Almost every mother thinks about whether her daughter or son takes enough vitamins, and whether it is necessary to purchase and give the baby vitamin supplements. What does the famous doctor Komarovsky think about this topic? In his opinion, are multivitamins useful or is it enough for the child to only have vitamin compounds from food?

Does your child need vitamin supplements?

A popular pediatrician calls vitamins valuable substances for the human body that must be supplied with food. He does not deny the importance of such connections, but at the same time emphasizes that Vitamins produced by the pharmaceutical industry are medicines.

Since, according to Komarovsky and many other doctors, medications should be given only if there are indications for them, the famous doctor emphasizes that Vitamins are needed only in one case - if the child has symptoms of their deficiency.

As for the preventive use of multivitamins, Komarovsky considers it unnecessary, since a shortage of such substances appears only when a child finds himself in extreme conditions, for example, when there is no food at all. If children's menus contain different food groups, the popular doctor sees no reason to give children multivitamins prophylactically.

The doctor insists that a varied diet is much preferable to complex vitamin supplements.

Who needs vitamins

Komarovsky emphasizes that the vitamin needs of different children differ. For example, if a child has dark skin, he will need much more vitamin D than a fair-skinned child with blond hair. Such a child should be given additional vitamin D in winter. The popular doctor also emphasizes that children living in the northern regions need additional vitamin D.

According to Komarovsky, any vitamin supplements are needed for the treatment or prevention of a specific condition - hypovitaminosis. And a doctor should prescribe such medications, and only in a situation where he identifies symptoms of vitamin deficiency in a particular child.

A well-known pediatrician also recommends taking vitamin preparations prophylactically only in specific cases, for example:

• Vitamin C on a long boat trip.
• Vitamin B12 for vegetarianism.
• Multivitamins during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester or if the expectant mother has poor nutrition.

Hypervitaminosis

A well-known pediatrician notes that in our time, hypovitaminosis is a fairly rare reason for visiting a doctor. At the same time, doctors encounter hypervitaminosis much more often. And in 75% of cases, such conditions occur in children who were given vitamins by their parents without the supervision of a pediatrician.

A particular danger to the child’s body, according to Komarovsky, are fat-soluble vitamins that can accumulate in adipose tissue.

The popular doctor most often encounters hypervitaminosis D in his practice, since this vitamin is prescribed to children more often than others.

Watch the following video in which the doctor broadly discusses the topic of vitamins for children.

How to feed your child to get enough vitamins

To ensure that the child’s body receives vitamins from food, Komarovsky recommends diversifying the child’s menu by adding different food groups.

The popular doctor considers the following products to be the most important:

• Dairy.
• Meat.
• Vegetables.
• Cereals.
• Fruits.

According to Komarovsky, a child should consume at least one product from each of these five groups every day, and then the mother can be calm, since the child’s diet can be called varied, and getting vitamins from it will be sufficient.

To get vitamin D, a famous doctor advises taking more walks so that the child is exposed to sunlight for at least 15 minutes a day.

To learn whether vitamins can boost a child’s immunity, see Dr. Komarovsky’s program.

An eternal dilemma for parents is the question of replenishing the child’s body with vitamins. Many controversial statements arise on this basis. As the baby grows, choosing vitamins becomes a serious task for every parent who is concerned about the development of their child.

How to choose and what vitamins to give to a child for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes? We will try to find an answer to this question.

Vitamin fever

Vitamins are low molecular weight biological substances with high biological and biochemical activity.

They come in two types:

• fat-soluble vitamins include categories A, D, E, F, K;
• water-soluble - vitamins of all other groups.

It is also worth saying right away that vitamin preparations are divided into:

• single-component - the composition of the therapeutic and prophylactic agent includes only one component;
• multivitamins or a multivitamin complex are therapeutic and prophylactic products that contain a group of vitamins or a group of vitamins with the addition of microelements.

The topic of vitamins for pediatricians is quite sensitive. This fact is confirmed by the famous children's doctor Komarovsky. Very often, parents, especially the modern generation, ignore visiting the pediatrician and select vitamin preparations themselves. Parents buy their child a box of “biologically active substances” and, without always referring to the instructions, self-medicate, which can land the child in a hospital bed due to an overdose.

How to make the right choice?

You just need to give, for yourself, answers to the following questions:

• Does your baby have a balanced and rational diet?

Comments: by the phrase “balanced and rational nutrition,” Dr. Komarovsky means the presence in the child’s daily diet of one or more types of vegetables and fruits, meat or fish, lactic acid products, as well as side dishes of cereals. If all of the listed products are present in the baby’s diet, then he will not face any problems with the immune system.

• In what ecological environment does a family with a child live, what are the conditions there?

Comments: the ecological environment is an integral factor in deciding the issue of taking vitamins for children. If the child’s living conditions do not imply the presence of beneficial factors, such as water, sun, clean air, then taking vitamins is mandatory.

• How does a child most often feel and how does he grow?

Comments: Only a pediatrician can answer this question after a preliminary examination and diagnosis of development.

It is also worth considering the main factors that can influence the decision to take vitamins:

• vitamins are used as general preventive, seasonal fortification, as well as to boost immunity in children;
• vitamins should be prescribed for weakened children, for example, after antibiotic therapy;
• from 2 years of age, namely, as soon as the children’s body weans from breast milk, a pediatrician’s consultation will be required to replenish the baby’s body with vitamins. The doctor will help you create and select a rational menu for the child, select vitamin complexes for immunomodulation and support the body according to the age characteristics and general well-being of the baby;
• proven clinical or laboratory vitamin deficiency, according to Dr. Komarovsky, is an indisputable diagnosis that requires treatment.

Variety of fortified preparations

Pharmacy shelves are attractive with a variety of vitamin complexes for children, and the most important thing is not to confuse them with various dietary supplements, since the desired effect simply will not be achieved. This is due to the fact that the formula of the dietary supplement does not contain the optimally required concentration of vitamins: it is available, but in small doses.

• "Multi-Tabs Baby";
• "Pikovit";
• "Kinder-Biovital gel";
• "Vitrum Baby";
• "Centrum";
• "Pangexavit";
• "Aquadetrim";
• "Vita Bears";
• "Alphabet".

Let's take a look at the vitamin complexes that can safely be called “the best,” and also look at their composition and features.

"Multi-Tabs Baby"

A complex that combines the best vitamins and beneficial minerals for children from 2 to 7 years old.

It contains 13 vitamins (A, D, E, K, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Folic acid, Biotin, Pantothenic acid) and 7 minerals (Ca, Fe, Zn, Se, Cr, I , Mn).

Pharmacological form of the drug: chewable tablets.

The daily dose of the drug is 1 tablet. It should be taken with meals.

According to the indications for use, the drug is used to prevent hypovitaminosis and lack of minerals for children from 2 to 7 years of age.

It is advisable to use the drug in case of an unbalanced diet, after illnesses, in children who have a deterioration in appetite as an additional source of vitamins and microelements.

The manufacturer of the drug is Denmark. The shelf life of the drug is 2 years. Average price: 450 -510 rub.

The most popular vitamin preparation

The Alphabet complex - or as pharmacologist-developers call it - “the sum of the achievements of the science of vitamins” is a vitamin complex that has a number of age release categories.

“Alphabet - Our Baby” for children from 1.5 years to 3 years of age and “Alphabet - Kindergarten” are created for children from 3 to 7 years old, there is also “Alphabet-Schoolchild” and “Alphabet-Teenager”, recommended for more older children.

Consider "Alphabet - Our Baby."

The drug contains 11 vitamins and 5 minerals. The package contains 3 types of sachets with different vitamin complexes.

You need to take 1 sachet per day in any order. The drug has indications for use in cases of lack of appetite, lethargy, insomnia, and also to increase immunity.

Country of origin - Russia.

Shelf life - 2 years.

The price for “Alphabet - Our Baby” is 300 - 330 rubles.

"Pikovit"

The drug is a unique complex that includes 11 vitamins and 8 minerals. It comes in several pharmacological forms depending on the age category of use; children under 1 year of age are prescribed sweet syrup, and from 3 years of age - chewable tablets.

The duration of taking Pikovit vitamins is 1 month.

Country of origin: Slovenia

Shelf life - 2 years.

The price of Pikovit vitamins is 250 - 290 rubles.

"Kinder Biovital gel"

A combined preparation containing a complex of 10 vitamins and 4 minerals. Has a pronounced metabolic effect.

Indicated for use in children with:

• decreased immunity due to viral diseases;
• with inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth;
• for the prevention of rickets, as well as for stunting.

Helps increase appetite.

Dosage - 1 tsp. gel per day for children from 1 year to 6 years. Pharmacologists recommend giving the drug with meals.

The country of origin is the German company A. Nattermann & Hsieh. GmbH.

Shelf life - 2 years.

Price "Kinder Biovital gel" - 200 - 220 rubles.

Subtleties of consuming miracle vitamins

The main task of every parent is to explain to their children that vitamins are not sweet candies that can be taken as much as you like. Children need to understand that vitamins play an important role, just like medicine. This is necessary so that the baby clearly knows that these delicious tablets or powders will bring him treatment, and not just pleasure.

For a child over 2 years old, a complex of vitamins in the form of chewable tablets, syrups, and effervescent powders is suitable. Each vitamin complex has instructions, and with its help, parents will clearly understand in what doses the drug should be given to their children.

Pill or fruit?

Probably every parent has faced a similar choice, and there is no clear answer. You just need to understand for yourself that the quality of products drops significantly every year, and sometimes there is simply no benefit for the immune system and for replenishing the baby’s growing body.

This is a proven fact cited by specialists from the pharmaceutical company Geigy over the past 17 years (from 1985 to 2002):

• potatoes lost Ca - 78%;
• carrots lost Mg - 75%;
• bananas have lost the amount of vitamin B6 - 95%;
• apples have lost the amount of vitamin C - 60%.

However, this does not mean that the consumption of vegetables and fruits for children should be completely ignored or stopped. On the contrary, parents are obliged to provide their child with a complete and balanced daily menu with the addition of vegetables and fruits, and also constantly monitor the baby’s appetite.

When deciding on the choice of vitamin products (fresh fruits and vegetables), parents need to take into account their seasonality when they appear in stores, quality and manufacturer. And, based on this, determine whether or not to give the child the fresh fruits or vegetables that are available, or is it better to take a vitamin?

Opinion of pediatricians and parents

As already mentioned, parents are especially careful about taking vitamins for their babies. The main factor for resolving this issue should be the general well-being of the child and indications about his state of health.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, taking vitamins is necessary exclusively for therapeutic and preventive purposes, according to the advice of a pediatrician. But do not forget that seasonal fluctuations in the strength of the immune system are also a powerful argument for taking vitamins.

Most mothers, relying on advice from forums and reviews on the Internet, have long introduced drugs of this type into their children’s diet. According to reviews, the following vitamins are popular: “Multi-Tabs Baby”, “Alphabet Our Baby”, “Pikovit”, which over the course of many years have proven themselves to be the “best” on the pharmacy market. Giving a child such complexes is not only safe, but also effective in improving overall well-being, boosting immunity and appetite.

The need to take vitamins in childhood is beyond doubt. However, parents have different views on how the body should be saturated with vitamins. Some are sure that the baby should consume vitamins with food, others believe that vitamins are necessary during the flu and cold season. What famous doctors, primarily Komarovsky, think about this, we will learn from this article.

Traditionally, funds are divided into:

• one-component - which includes one component;
• multivitamins - include a complex of vitamins necessary for the health of a small patient.

Komarovsky believes that it is better to start getting acquainted with single-component vitamins. As a rule, babies are deficient in vitamins such as D3 and C.

You should know that some complexes are difficult for children to tolerate and cause allergic reactions. This is especially true for drugs based on ascorbic acid. For allergy sufferers, there are special vitamin complexes obtained by processing the safest products of plant origin - rose hips, black currants, etc.

Criteria for choosing vitamins

It is impossible to say which complex is better, because each child has his own needs and reactions. When choosing a baby product, you must rely on the recommendations of the observing pediatrician; only he will be able to say exactly what the baby lacks for full development.

Until the age of 4, vitamin preparations are offered in the form of syrup or water-soluble powder. It is highly undesirable to exceed the dosage. Special vitamins have been developed for older children. To choose the best ones, it is advisable to consult with your doctor about which vitamins your child is deficient in.

From the age of four, vitamin and mineral complexes are offered, which are intended not only for the prevention, but also for the treatment of respiratory diseases. The concentration of useful elements in them is much higher. It is recommended to use drugs strictly according to age, since the need for vitamins at each age will be different.

Komarovsky about the best children's drugs

Komarovsky emphasizes that a breastfed baby does not need vitamins, but his mother needs them. The pediatrician is confident that proper nutrition for a nursing mother is the key to excellent health for the child.

But with age, the baby still needs vitamins, and only the attending physician can help determine which one is best in each specific case. They can be obtained from foods, but if there is a deficiency of specific elements, you will have to use children's vitamins. This is the best solution for strengthening the immune system, according to Komarovsky.

You should know that not all drugs are safe, especially if they are used contrary to the accompanying instructions. Komarovsky recalls that hypervitaminosis is as dangerous as a lack of vitamins. You should not give your child vitamins in the summer if the baby’s diet is rich in a variety of healthy foods of plant and animal origin. If the baby has a calcium deficiency, then he should be given only single-component drugs, otherwise hypervitaminosis may occur in other components, for example, excess vitamin C, which can lead to skin rashes, anxiety, poor health, and restless sleep.

The list of drugs for children under 4 years of age is not so long. As a rule, small patients are offered low-component formulations with vitamins B, C and A. Before purchasing a drug for a child under 4 years old, you should consult with your local pediatrician and find out which product is best suited.

Many parents are categorically against child took vitamins. and are confident that the best vitamins for children are found in vegetables and fruits, the consumption of which is sufficient. Vitamins. contained in fresh vegetables and fruits are truly needed and needed by a growing child’s body. In summer and autumn, there is no need to give your child pharmaceutical vitamin complexes. If it is winter outside, there is no benefit from vegetables grown in greenhouses. The imperfect state of the external environment also results in weakened immunity and frequent illnesses. In this case, taking vitamin complexes is necessary and it is necessary to choose the best vitamins for children.

Vitamins for children, are divided into two groups:

Single-component, consisting of one type of vitamin.

Multivitamins are vitamin complexes that include all the vitamins, enzymes, trace elements, and minerals necessary for children.

In addition, vitamins are divided into:

Fat soluble. These are vitamins of groups A, D, E, F, K.

Water soluble. These include everyone else vitamins. They are quickly eliminated from the body, and therefore hypovitaminosis may appear

First of all, when choosing vitamins, it is necessary to take into account age characteristics baby. A newborn baby who is breastfed or unnaturally fed does not need to add vitamins to the diet. Mother's milk and formula contain all the vitamins and microelements needed for children. With the exception of vitamin D3, in the autumn-winter period, all children are advised to drink it to prevent rickets. A nursing mother needs special vitamins.

When starting to take a vitamin complex, you should consult your doctor. An excess of vitamins is fraught with important consequences, and sometimes, it is often much more harmful than their deficiency.

There is no correct answer as to which specific vitamins are best for children, and there is no possibility of there being one. It all depends on the personal characteristics of the individual child. Pay special attention to the composition of the vitamin complex. If your child has a tendency to allergies, give your preference to those manufacturers whose vitamin C is produced from non-allergenic plant species, for example rose hips.

In the table below, you have the opportunity to find out at what age which specific vitamins are best for children. It also indicates what vitamins a certain vitamin complex consists of.

What specific rules should you follow when taking vitamins?

When consuming vitamins, the load on the kidneys increases, so drinking plenty of fluids is recommended.

Vitamins for children are available in the form of powder and syrup. lozenges, sweets, and capsules. In addition, almost all of them are sweet and pleasant to the taste. Well, what child refuses chewing gum or candy? For the smallest children, it is better to choose vitamins in the form of drops, solutions and syrups, but older children will like vitamins. in the form of gummies and lozenges.

When there is a lack of certain vitamins, indicators appear that help us realize this.

How to take vitamins correctly, when consumed, the load on the kidneys increases, based on this, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids.

Vitamins for children are available in the form of powder, syrup, lozenges, candies, and capsules. In addition, almost all of them are sweet and pleasant to the taste. Well, what child refuses chewing gum or candy? For the smallest children, it is better to choose vitamins in the form of drops, solutions and syrups, while older children will like vitamins in the form of gummies and lozenges.

It is better to give vitamins to your child in courses, from November to May. At other times, with proper, nutritious nutrition, hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency can be easily avoided. Hypovitaminosis is a moderate deficiency, and vitamin deficiency is an acute deficiency of vitamins.

When taking vitamin complexes, read the instructions; they may not be combined with medications or individual vitamins that you are already taking. Be sure to follow the dosage.

Indicators of deficiency of certain vitamins

With a lack of vitamin C, appetite decreases and physical and neuropsychic development is impaired.
With a lack of vitamin A, skin problems appear and vision deteriorates.
With a lack of B1, irritability and fatigue increase, and sleep is disturbed.
With a lack of B6, seizures, decreased appetite, anemia and stunted growth are likely.
With a lack of vitamin D, sweating increases, sleep is disturbed, and rickets is likely to develop.

Parents, be attentive to yourself and your children, choose vitamins wisely for yourself and your children.

Many vitamin complexes are just called them, but in reality, they are simple dietary supplements (dietary supplements). The content of vitamins in them is extremely small, and the main component is a miracle remedy, the benefits or harm of which can only be guessed at. If the price is not particularly important, it is better to trust proven well-known brands. At the very least, you will really buy the best vitamins for children, and you will be sure of their properly balanced composition.

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" - the first 3 months - 1 capsule per day, the second 3 months - 2 capsules per day, then 3 months - 3 capsules.

Nursing: complex vitamins for pregnant women and lactating women, where vitamin D, of course, is present (Pregnavit, Prenatal - 3 pieces per day).

at any cold, incl. flu, American doctors recommend drinking ascorbic acid- the first 3 days, 1 g 3 times a day, then 0.5 g 3 times.

The experience of countries where monopolistic vitamin producers are located has not improved the health of the younger generation. I would still advise you to lean on fruits, vegetables and herbs. And vitamins will enter the child’s body in the right quantities and be perfectly absorbed. But everyone is free to act in accordance with their convictions. In particular, if a child does not want to eat vegetables or does not like fruits, of course, it is better to compensate for their lack of vitamins.

The most ascorbic acid is found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, pineapples, and if you choose what is cheaper, then in currants and cabbage, especially sauerkraut. But unlike most of the vitamins discussed earlier, it is almost absent in meat, eggs, fish, and not at all in dried cereal grains. In addition, vitamin C is destroyed during heat treatment. In many animals ascorbic acid synthesized in the body, but in humans - alas.

hypervitaminosis A leads to significantly more severe consequences than hypovitaminosis, so vitamin preparations should be taken strictly according to the directions on the label. And the best thing is to eat more carrots, it does not cause hypervitaminosis.

Previously, a person worked more physically, and his body was adapted to this. And now a person works mainly mentally and emotionally, the brain needs carbohydrates, so its owner is hungry all the time. A person reaches for sweets - he does not have enough glucose for his brain to function. He ate something - the excess goes into fat. Therefore, food is limited, and with the amount of food that a person can afford today, he does not receive the amount of vitamins that our ancestors received. In addition, simpler, unprocessed foods used to contain more vitamins.

Rye bread is very rich in vitamins, unlike white bread. A kilogram of black bread can provide almost the entire daily requirement for vitamins. It is better to eat bread with bran, grain, and not only for the sake of vitamins, but also to keep the intestines working. And you need more vegetables and fruits - again, not only because of vitamins. Not all vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins; first of all, they are a source of ascorbic acid and carotene. Five to six servings of vegetables and fruits per day are required, and a serving is a glass of freshly squeezed (not from a box!) juice, or a large apple, or a large grapefruit.

There are specific symptoms of vitamin deficiency, for example - cracks in the corners of the mouth, “geographic tongue” - with deep cracks, desquamation of the epithelium on the tongue. These are symptoms of serious disorders. At the initial stage - increased fatigue, sleep disturbances. But vitamin deficiency manifests itself on a massive scale, primarily in the increase in colds and infectious diseases - because immunity decreases.

Taking multivitamins in our conditions allows you to build your diet more freely. Taking vitamins is a general hygiene measure, like brushing your teeth in the morning and evening and washing your hands before eating. You don't have to wash your hands and you don't get dysentery. But it’s better to wash, then the likelihood of infection will greatly decrease. If the entire population of Russia took at least 50 mg of vitamin C, people would become much healthier.