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Step 1
Choose vitamins specifically designed for children. In addition to being chewable, these formulations have greater amounts of the specific vitamins essential for children's health.
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Step 2
Give her growing bones enough vitamin D. If you live in a cold climate where outdoor time is limited, you must provide you child at least 800 IU of vitamin D each day.
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Step 3
Use vitamin A with caution. Overdoses build up in fatty tissues and can cause liver toxicity. Instead, choose supplements with beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A and excretes more easily.
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Step 4
Limit artificial flavors and colors. The FDA reports that yellow dye number 5 can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Research has linked red number 3 to cancer in animal studies.
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Step 5
Consider a standalone calcium supplement. Because it's a bulky mineral, most multivitamins contain less than 100 mg of calcium. Children need 800 to 1300 mg a day, depending on their age.
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Step 6
Pick vitamins with little or no added sweeteners. You can avoid the high-fructose corn syrup so ubiquitous in the American diet by choosing a vitamin sweetened with fruit juice concentrate.
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Step 7
Increase your child's vitamin C intake during cold and flu season. The body can't produce or store this vitamin and insufficient amounts decrease the body's ability to fight infections. Consider amounts between 50 mg and 1 g.
