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We all know how important it is to our health that we enjoy a balanced diet. This is particularly crucial for growing children, but sometimes it can be difficult enough to persuade your child to eat their dinner at all, without also worrying that they’re getting their recommended amount of vitamins and minerals each day.
Multivitamins make the job much easier, as they can simply be given to your child once a day to supply them with nutrients that they may be missing from their food. However, it can be difficult to decide which is the right option, particularly when your child's health is concerned. We’ve created this buying guide to help you out, as well as a list of the top ten multivitamins for kids from shops such as Amazon, ASDA, Tesco and Boots.
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Table of Contents
Not all children’s multivitamins are suitable for all children, and they’ll almost always come labelled with a minimum age that a child must reach before they can begin to consume them, and a maximum age at which they'll need to progress to another, more advanced multivitamin.
Just as they have different nutritional requirements to adults, children of different ages have different needs to each other. It is, therefore, incredibly important that you stick to the recommended age guidelines, as failing to do so can result in your child ingesting an unnecessary or insufficient amount of a certain vitamin.
Those looking to begin supporting the diets of newborns will need to take extra care – there are significantly fewer multivitamin options for children under 3, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any at all. In fact, there are a few suitable for children under 6 months and, and occasionally, even from birth.
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Next, consider the range of the age suitability. Parents with multiple children will benefit most from multivitamins with wide age ranges: you’ll can use one brand to support the whole family, which is sure to make shopping trips a little easier. Additionally, if your child is particularly fussy, it helps to find a multivitamin that they can continue to take without the need to search for a new one after just a few years.
On the other hand, there are also benefits to multivitamins with narrow age ranges. A multivitamin specially designed for children of a set few years is more likely to contain a balance of vitamins tailored to that age group.
Take this example: the body of a 3-year-old is undergoing completely different changes to that of a 12-year-old, and while a wide-ranging multivitamin will sufficiently cover both age groups, a multivitamin for ages 3-7 will contain nutrients that specifically support the developmental changes that the 3-year-old is experiencing.
Chews and tablets are simple enough in practice – just give one to your child to swallow after one of their meals, safe in the knowledge that they'll be getting everything they need. However, how likely your child is to accept this willingly will depend largely on the flavour of the chew.
Though many are sweetly-flavoured, kids don’t tend to look too fondly on the powdery tablet type, instead preferring the soft gummy variety, particularly when paired with a nice, fruity flavour. Check the ingredients, though, as while many multivitamins are naturally flavoured, some do use artificial sweeteners.
The jury’s out on which type of multivitamin is better absorbed by the body than the other, though some do believe that liquids and sprays come out on top. However, where there is an undisputed variance is on how easy these different forms are to administer.
Some liquid multivitamins, for example, can be dropped straight into food or drink without your child even knowing. Though, as many multivitamins contain strong flavours, your child may notice, unless dropped into similar-tasting, or particularly strong-flavoured, food or drink. Meanwhile, multivitamin sprays are much quicker to administer. A quick few sprays into your child’s mouth will do the trick!
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Surely every multivitamin contains all the necessary vitamins, right? Well, yes, while it’s true that every multivitamin contains the right selection of vitamins essential for good health, that doesn’t mean that one doesn’t contain a slightly different balance to another and that there isn’t an extra bunch found in one that isn’t in another.
If you’re especially concerned about your child getting one particular type of vitamin, it’s a good idea to check the label, though this is quite rare. If there are any significant omissions, a manufacturer will usually make note of it.
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A good multivitamin will also contain minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Mineral content differs quite drastically among multivitamins, so if you’re particularly keen for your child to get their daily dose of a certain mineral, it pays to check the label. Quite often, though, a manufacturer will be eager to advertise the fact their multivitamin contains these additional minerals and will feature it on the packaging.
Manufacturers also tend to offer different variants of their multivitamin featuring a different selection of additional minerals, so you can choose whichever you prefer. Haliborange, for example, provides multivitamins with additional calcium and iron – minerals that are beneficial for bones and the immune system.
Perhaps the most versatile multivitamin on the market, Chewwies are suitable for pretty much everyone: they're vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and halal; and they're even suitable for adults, as well as kids aged 3 years and upwards – one bottle of multivitamins should cover the whole family!
They're also incredibly tasty – without the use of sugar or any artificial ingredients – and their fun teddy-bear shapes will appeal to younger kids. Its recommended that these multivitamins be taken alongside a D3 vitamin, but Chewwies also sell D3 gummies. A truly well-rounded multivitamin for all the family.
Another entry from the UK's leading vitamin company, Vitabiotics' WellKids multivitamin contains a special formulation of 21 nutrients, including iron to aid cognitive development, and iodine to promote bone growth.
Unfortunately, these multivitamins don't come in gummy form, and not all kids enjoy its powdery texture, but it's worth persevering to ensure they benefit from all those important vitamins. Luckily, its tasty mixed fruit flavouring should make the job a little bit easier!
The benefits of Abidec are such that it is commonly used by the NHS to aid prematurely born children in NICU wards. It's also incredibly convenient to use, being suitable for a wide age range and, unlike many other liquid multivitamins, doesn't need refrigeration.
Its strong odour and taste may not appeal to some children, and equally, its tendency to stain clothing with its vivid orange colour may not appeal to parents. It's hard to argue with it nutritional benefits though, and when it comes to these, Abidec is one of the best multivitamins available.
This Junior Oral Spray from BetterYou is one of the only multivitamins for kids to come in spray form. The benefit of oral spray multivitamins is that there's no need to convince your child to eat an unfamiliar tablet or sneak a strange liquid into their dinner!
There's a good balance of vitamins here, and they're quick to administer, though not necessarily easy – four sprays, directly into your child's mouth, are required daily. If you're particularly keen to ensure that your child benefits as much as possible from their multivitamins, BetterYou's spray is the multivitamin for you.
Centrum's 'Kids' multivitamins are some of the most comprehensive available, covering every vitamin and mineral from A to Z – including iron for cognitive development and vitamin D for bone growth.
Unfortunately, they're not suitable for vegetarians and vegans as they contain gelatine, but for everyone else, they're incredibly affordable – a great price for such a comprehensive set of vitamins and minerals.
Haliborange's multivitamins are unique in that, along with a whole host of vitamins, they also contain calcium and iron; two minerals that are particularly important for the muscles, as well as the growth of bones, teeth, and nails.
Their orange taste makes them palatable for children, but be aware that these multivitamins do not come in the chewy, gummy form that many others do – they are powdery tablets, which some children may not appreciate!
Vitabiotics' WellBaby formula has been specifically designed by experts to grant maximum health benefits to under 4s. Its small spoon can be a little bit tricky to use, but kids love its delicious orange taste.
This liquid's 3-and-a-half year age range might be a little bit narrow for some, but unlike those suitable for children of all ages, these multivitamins are designed to aid the growth and cognitive development of babies and toddlers. It also contains several minerals alongside the full vitamin range.
The fun shape and natural strawberry flavour of these Peppa Pig themed multi-vits will ensure that you'll never have to struggle to convince your child to take their daily vitamins, which can save you a lot of time and chasing.
Their age range of four years is quite specific, but you can rest assured that these multivitamins, designed specifically by Vitabiotics experts to suit children between the ages of 3 and 7, will give your child everything they need to grow strong and healthy.
When it comes to picking the most environmentally-friendly option, there really is no contest: Vegums come in 100% plastic-free, biodegradable packaging, and you even order refills in corn-starch tubs.
They're also suitable for all ages, meaning you can purchase one multivitamin to cover the whole family. They're a little on the pricey side, and it's worth mentioning that Vegums don't contain the full range of vitamins. That's because they're designed for vegans – giving them less of what they'll already be getting from a plant-based diet, and more of what they need.
The best thing about these multi-vitamins from Natures Aid is how easy they are to give to your child. They're in liquid form, meaning you can simply use the included pipette to add your child's daily dose to their food or drink – its orange flavour means it's especially easy to hide in a cup of orange juice.
Its narrow age range may be problematic for those who wish to purchase a single multivitamin for several children of various ages, but on the flip side, it does mean your child is taking a vitamin tailored specifically to the needs and requirements of their age group.
The NHS recommends that supplements containing vitamins A, C, and D should be given to children aged 6 months to 5 years daily. Supplements should not be given to babies who consume more than 500 ml of baby formula each day.
Vitamins C, D, and zinc can greatly contribute to improving your child's immune system.
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful immune system boosters, and a deficiency can leave you susceptible to a number of ailments. Vitamin D can also help to fight viruses as it plays a vital role in the production of proteins that kill viruses and bacteria, particularly in the respiratory system.
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