From the Pediatrician: How to Use Children’s Supplements Safely at Home

By Fred Tega, MD, FAAP
Board-Certified Pediatrician and Founder of DocVites

Vitamins and dietary supplements can look harmless—especially when they are flavored or shaped for children—but they still need to be treated like health products. Safe use begins with the correct child, the correct product and the correct labeled serving.

Store supplements as carefully as medicines

Keep vitamins and supplements in their original, child-resistant containers and store them locked or securely out of sight and reach. A high shelf alone may not be enough for a determined climber. Never describe a chewable supplement as candy.

Use one responsible adult and one routine

When several caregivers share responsibilities, double dosing can happen. A simple checklist, phone reminder or designated caregiver can make it clear whether the day’s serving has already been given.

Check for overlapping ingredients

A multivitamin, a single-nutrient supplement and a fortified drink may contain some of the same nutrients. Review all products together rather than evaluating each one in isolation. More is not automatically better, and some nutrients can be harmful in excessive amounts.

Measure liquids with the supplied device

Use the dropper, syringe or dosing device specified on the product label. Household teaspoons are not accurate measuring tools. Confirm whether the labeled amount refers to a full dropper, a marked line or a specific number of drops.

If an accidental ingestion occurs

Do not wait for symptoms or induce vomiting. In the United States, contact Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 immediately if a child collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing or cannot be awakened.

Educational information only. This article is not individualized medical advice. Follow the finished product label and discuss questions about a child’s diet or supplement use with the child’s pediatrician.