Multivitamins for Preschoolers

Function

• Multivitamins fill a gap when a child's diet isn't varied and balanced, according to HealthyChildren.org. They are generally considered unnecessary for healthy, older children. However, young preschoolers can often be quite fussy with their meals. This means that they might be missing out on key nutrients and this is where a multivitamin comes in handy.

Types

• Looking at a shelf of multivitamins can be overwhelming. Flavors, characters and the levels of ingredients can vary. Some will have more vitamin D, while others will have more iron. Roy Benaroch, author of "A Guide to Getting the Best Health Care for Your Child," recommends keeping it simple. "To your child's body, vitamins are the same no matter what the source. Use and inexpensive generic multivitamin, preferably chewable once the child is old enough to handle that." Any other extras such as extra vitamin C should be at the recommendation of your physician.

Alternatives

• Instead of feeding a multivitamin, parents should talk to their doctor about supplementing a specific vitamin as needed. For example, vitamin D is fortified through milk but the body can also create it through sunlight. However, a child that doesn't like milk might need to take a supplement in the cold, winter months when he's not in the sun as much. Similarly, a fussy preschooler that doesn't like fruit and vegetables might need a boost of vitamin C without feeding all the other nutrients.

Caution

• Parents that are giving their children vitamins, should understand what they are giving. Vitamins that are fat soluble are stored in the body and can become toxic over time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Megadoses of vitamins -- for example, large amounts of vitamins A, C or D -- can produce toxic symptoms, ranging from nausea to rashes to headaches and sometimes to even more severe adverse effects." Furthermore, multivitamins look and taste like candy. If you have multivitamins around the house, they should be out-of-sight and out-of-reach just like any other medication.