What supplements do your children take? (X-posted in Nutrition)

[phathui5]

We have four children (9, 7, 5 & 3), who, up until this year didn't take any vitamins or supplements beyond the gummy bear vitamins that we gave them.

The younger two boys were having some dental issues, so I started them all on liquid Calcium/Magnesium from the health food store. I'm hoping that it helps with the dental stuff.

I also got Children's DHA because I read in a couple of places that DHA can help some children with speech issues (which my 5yo has).

There are so many different supplements out there. So, for those of you who give your kids vitamins and supplements, I'm wondering what you use, how much any why?

[daisymommy]

Rainbow Light Nutristars Children's Chewable Multivitamins/minerals, foodbased
Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil (orange flavor, mixed into a little OJ with breakfast)
Jarrow probiotic powder

In the Fall/Winter we add:
chewable or gummy Vit. C & D to help ward off the flu.
Last year, with all the flu nasties going on, and 2 kids in public school (one school was closed for a few days because everyone was sick with H1N1)--my son was perfectly healthy!

[ameliabedelia]

My oldest gets Super-Nu-Thera (balances for B6 and mg..since she has had problems with headaches in the past).

My youngest two take fermented cod liver oil gummies (Green Pasture) (my oldest could take this, but she refuses to do so).
and Melaleuca children vitamin.

When we lived in the NE, I gave them Vitamin D during the winter, but we recently moved to a very southern state, so we just go outside a lot (without sunscreen).

If anyone is sick (cold, runny nose), I give everyone garlic and SAP.

[EdnaMarie]

We are on a budget and I'd do more if I could since they like them, but we do:

Schiff's children's multi (a bit of sugar but otherwise all-natural, though not organic)
Carlson's Orange Burst DHA
Cod liver oil is available and I've found interestingly that they want it when it's winter but in summer are not interested--must be cravings.

When sick, they get chamomile tea with honey and Children's Emergen-C in hot water.

In smoothies, they get spirulina a couple of times a week.

We have cooked garlic at least four times a week and turmeric at least twice a week in food, but I'm not sure these have the same properties when cooked.

I was also thinking of magnesium supplements since I started them for myself. My kids eat a ton of dairy, plus my milk and I eat a ton of dairy, and I read that calcium can actually inhibit magnesium absorption so I was considering that.

[phathui5]

If anyone is sick (cold, runny nose), I give everyone garlic and SAP

What is SAP?

[tanyalynn]

I love cell salts. I just added them to the repertoire this year, and if you haven't checked out the cell salts thread here in H&H, you may want to. Supposed to be particularly helpful for dental issues--we haven't had cavities yet, but I can affirm they help with teething, even in 6-year olds who have pain when their molars come in. I had no idea 6-year molars could hurt coming in.

My kids learned to swallow pills at 3 and 5. With practice on small pills, yours may be able to do the same--I've read of kids younger than DS (he was the 3yo) learning to do it.

We use Jarrow DHA max, but it's an adult sized pill.

For dental prevention stuff (I felt the kids were at risk because we've got health issues that include lots of nutritional deficiencies and I ascribe to Weston Price's view on cavities), I give the kids a mineral supp with cal and mag, a liquid K2 (Thorne vitamin K2), and Carlson D drops (I think the D also helped reduce the severity of illnesses last year). And I've given cod liver oil in the past for the vitamin A, I haven't decided what to give now that my last bottle ran out but I do think vitamin A plays a role.

[Brigio]

DD is 3 1/2

We do carlsons cod liver oil (1 tsp for her 1tbsp for me)

vit. k2 drops (I use innovite brand)

vit. d (she gets about 1000IUs combined w/ the cod liver oil)

I also do a really awesome powdered multi and or a greens supp. in her kefir shakes.

I usually just do kefir for probiotics but sometimes I will supplement.

Sometimes vit. C.

When sick we do homeopathic s, colloidal silver, animal parade zinc lozenges, and an elderberry tincture for kids.

[joanna0707]

Originally Posted by Brigio

I also do a really awesome powdered multi and or a greens supp. in her kefir shakes.

What brand is the powdered multi?

[Brigio]

Originally Posted by joanna0707

What brand is the powdered multi?

I use a brand called AOR- I give her 1/4 a scoop.

http://www.aor.ca/html/products.php?id=57

[naturallyspeaking]

I was wondering the same thing and didn't know this question posted.
My 8 yo ds is coughing since yesterday and I just asked him to swallow a small gel cap of Vit D and he spit out the water (so I broke it open and gave him in a spoon).
So is there a multivitamin that can fulfill all these supplement amount so we don't have to give them all separately? Are all these supplements safe for young kids, what are the starting ages that can have these (liver oil, Vit D, etc)?
I have 8, 4, 1 yr old.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[danipoppins]

5yo - b12 and folic acid (multi-generational iron deficiency, I suspect pernicious anemia), 2000iu vit D (flu season and all), Cal/Mag (500/250 becuase we don't eat dairy), DMG (speech delay, stall in progress). We also addressed the speech delay by taking gluten out of her diet and HUGE improvements, astounding really. Oh, and probiotics.

9yo (Aspergers) - same as 5yo, but higher dosage of Cal/Mag. DMG worked in the past to address a speech issue for him and I just put him back on it to see if we could remedy some stuttering and flat tone.

I'm thinking of adding Omega 3 supp for both of them to address some anxieties (neither of them eat much fish or nuts).

When we have acute stuff going on we use a combo of herbs, homeopathy and megadosing of vitamins (Vit C/SA and Vit D usually) depending on what's going on.