Recommend your kids vitamin please!

[tmahanes]

I added a multivitamin for B because I work in a hospital and the flu has be crazy here. The hospital is full! So I wanted a little extra immune help.

I got a multivitamin at Target but they all had sugar in them!

What multivitamin do you give your kids? B will be 3 in February.

Thanks!

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[mikala]

I use Rainbow Light Multi-stars. They do contain fructose but they don't contain any of the funky food dyes or other weird ingredients I've seen in some of the other brands.

http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Light-MultiStars-Chewable-Tablets/dp/B000EEBWHM

[Green22]

Flintstone my first vitamin. DD eats one every day with no problem. I did not want to go all natural bc we have so many allergies but I do wish it didn't have the standard dyes. She takes that and a fish oil supplement (the actual oil, go figure) by Nordic naturals. Hth

[queenmama]

DS takes vitamins from Dr. Whitaker. Forward For Kids, DHA for Kids... Can't think of what else but I'm almost positive there's one more...

Lara

[daisyd]

Flintstones here.

[YouAreTheFocus]

DS is 3. We started with My First Flintstones (for 2-3 yr olds), then later switched to Lil Critters Gummy Vites. He loves both kinds.

[tmahanes]

Thanks. I will have to check those out.

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[brittone2]

You might look into vit D supplementation. Many multis don't contain that much D3. Some studies have found D3 supplementation might be helpful in influenza prevention, and some have found that vitamin D status may impact likelihood of contracting influenza.

We use the Rainbow Light gummy vites for D3 for the younger two kids (or Carlson's drops). DS1 is taking it in pill form (Costco).

[Kindra178]

Based on recs here, just switched to Animal Parade Multi an Animal Parade vitamin d3. They taste good!

[marymoo86]

We do a lot of bone broth soups, elderberry syrup and Vit D3 to help boost immune system.

[alootikki]

marymoo, how do you make bone broth? I've been hearing a lot about the benefits, but not sure how to make it...

[wendibird22]

Flintstones kids here. I looked at switching to gummy vit but after looking at several different brands I realized that in order to get the equivalent vitamin amount DDs would need to take 2-3 gummies and a)that was costly and b)2-3x the ingredients of those seems just as bad as one Flintstones IMO. Plus I don't like giving my kids vitamins or medicine that looks just like candy.

DD1 gets Complete and DD2 gets My First.

[marymoo86]

marymoo, how do you make bone broth? I've been hearing a lot about the benefits, but not sure how to make it...


I generally will roast a chicken (or turkey) in the oven and after use the bones and assorted vegetables to make a homemade broth for soups, chili, etc.

Here's a good link:
http://wellnessmama.com/5888/how-to-make-bone-broth-tutorial/

[roseyloxs]

We use smartypants vitamins (http://smartypantsvitamins.com/smartypants-gummy-vitamins-for-kids/). They do have 5g of sugar per 4 gummies which is the daily dose for 3 years and up (the sweetener is organic cane sugar and organic tapioca syrup). I chose these vitamins because its a multivitamin that also includes vitamin D3 and fish oil and doesn't include artificial colors or flavors. The quality of the vitamin outweighed my concern about the sugar content (I do wish it was lower though).

You should know that calcium and iron are not included in this multivitamin in case thats important to you. Their FAQ explains that calcium is not included in their vitamins because it reduces the absorption of zinc. Iron is also not present because of the potential for oxidation of the fish oil in the vitamins.

[AnnieW625]

I do not want to use gummy vitamins if I can help it. I don't want the vitamins looking like candy. We have used the following: My First Flintstones, Costco brand, Trader Joe's brand, and Rainbow Light Nutristars. With the Nutristars they recommend 2 for kids 4 and older, but DD1 still only gets 1 tab. If I can get a good price on the Nutristars (ie: 120 tabs for under $15) I will buy those. I have also heard good things about Animal Parade multis, as well as the local healthfood store brand multis (same as the ones sold at Whole Foods, and Daisymommy said those ones are good as well).

When my kids have a stomach bug I give them either Jarrow pro biotic, or when they need anti biotics I give them Animal Parade Acidolphilus.

I have mixed Carlson's Cod Liver Oil in their yogurt as well, but I am not very good about remembering to do that.

[lizzywednesday]

We've been giving DD either

* KangaVites Kids' chewable tablets (http://www.worldvita.com/solgar-kangavites-complete-multivitamin-mineral-children-s-formula-120-chewable-tablets.html)

OR

* Trader Joe's kids' chewable tablets

She likes them both fine and they have pretty much everything I'm looking for in them.

With cold & flu season, I've added Li'l Critters Immune Support gummies (she gets one, once a day, which is half the dose on the bottle) ... they just had a big bottle on sale at Target for a good price, so I bought them figuring they will last 'til spring.

[baymom]

I'm terrible about giving DC their vitamins daily and we tend to go in spurts of taking them at all. In general, I get Flinstones with Iron, but have also occasionally bought the Rainbow Lite.

[div_0305]

Our current top choice is Nordic Berries by Nordic Naturals.

[Gena]

DS took Rainbow Light NutriStars for a long time. He didn't have a problem with them until some clerk at the vitamin store told DS that they taste bad. After that he refused to eat them anymore. Now, when he takes a multi-vitamin he takes Kirkman Lab's chewable multivitamin wafers.

But lately I've moved away from giving him a multi everyday and just giving him specific supplements instead that we use to help with his specific needs/disorders (B6, B12, folic acid, magnesium, iron, vit D, TMG, Omegas). DS usually eats well and eats a variety of foods. But if he has a few days of his appetite being low or eating poorly, then I will have him take a multi for a couple of days.

[alirebco]

Animal Parade multi. We also do separate D3, zinc, fish oil and probiotics.

[fedoragirl]

Animal Parade Vitamin D3
Nordic Naturals Children's DHA capsules which my kids adore.

We used to use Smartypants but the price of those multivitamins wasn't something I could justify. I much prefer Nordic Naturals.

[maestramommy]

We get the gummi bears from Target. Yes, they have sugar (whether it's glucose or sucrose or fructose) but realistically you aren't going to find a kid vitamin without a sweetener.

[daisymommy]

NAK...
Animal Parade Gold or Rainbow Light Nutristars.
Vitamin D3 1000-2000 mg.
Cod liver oil in a shot of OJ
Probiotics (your immune system is in your gut!)
100 g. Of sugar a day will shut down your immune system function by half.

Watch out for synthetically derived vitamins that the body doesn't absorb readily. Look for food based.



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[jenrub]

Flintstone my first vitamin. DD eats one every day with no problem. I did not want to go all natural bc we have so many allergies but I do wish it didn't have the standard dyes. She takes that and a fish oil supplement (the actual oil, go figure) by Nordic naturals. Hth

Where did you get the fish oil and does it come in liquid form for drops? DD's allergist recommended fish oil drops for supplement but can't find it anywhere. TIA!

ETA: I read up some more and I found Nordic Naturals Baby DHA. Maybe I'll give that a try. As for multis, do you guys think 2 yr olds can do the chewable ones or should I just stick with Flintstones? DD is taking PolyViSol and maybe she needs to switch?

[sariana]

We use Flintstones Complete because my kids both have issues with low iron. If they did not, we would use the Kirkland brand from Costco.

I would prefer something without artificial colors, but it is such a small thing that I just don't worry about it. [ETA: Same with sugar. Vitamins taste pretty nasty on their own, so the sugar is kind of a necessary evil, IMO.]

[tmahanes]

NAK...
Animal Parade Gold or Rainbow Light Nutristars.
Vitamin D3 1000-2000 mg.
Cod liver oil in a shot of OJ
Probiotics (your immune system is in your gut!)
100 g. Of sugar a day will shut down your immune system function by half.

Watch out for synthetically derived vitamins that the body doesn't absorb readily. Look for food based.



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What brand of D and probiotic do you use?

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[newg]

Lil Critters multi vitamin and Lil Critters Omega -3 DHa for DD1 and DD2 is doing the Rainbow lite stars and the Lil Critters Omega.

I just bought the Lil Critters at Costco. I just checked and they both have vit. D, with D3in the Lil Critters Omega. I'm not a huge fan that their gummies, but DD1 won't eat the Rainbow stars because she doesn't like the chalky texture....and at this point I'd rather have the vitamins and minerals in them.