Do Children Need Nutritional Supplements?

Parents naturally want to make sure their children are getting the nutrients they need to grow, learn and stay healthy. This can make nutritional supplements appealing, particularly when a child is a picky eater, avoids certain food groups or seems to catch every illness going around.

But do kids need nutritional supplementation?

For most healthy children who eat a reasonably varied diet and are growing as expected, a daily nutritional supplement is usually unnecessary. Supplements are most useful when there is a diagnosed deficiency, an increased nutritional requirement or a genuine risk that a child cannot obtain enough of a particular nutrient from food alone.¹

A supplement should complement an appropriate diet; not replace nutritious foods or compensate for an ongoing feeding, growth or medical problem.

A child may need a nutritional supplement when they:

• Have a confirmed nutrient deficiency
• Follow a highly restricted or strict vegan diet
• Have a food allergy requiring the removal of major food groups
• Have a medical condition affecting nutrient absorption
• Eat a very limited range of foods for an extended period
• Are not growing or gaining weight as expected
• Have been advised to take a particular nutrient by a doctor or dietitian.

A child probably does not need a supplement simply because they occasionally refuse vegetables, go through a short picky-eating phase or catch several common colds each year.

Whole foods provide more than individual vitamins and minerals. They can also supply energy, protein, essential fats, fibre and a range of naturally occurring plant compounds.

A supplement may provide vitamin C, for example, but it does not provide the fibre, water and diverse plant compounds found in an orange, kiwifruit or capsicum.

A balanced pattern of eating should therefore remain the foundation of children’s nutrition. Depending on the child’s age and dietary needs, this generally includes a variety of:

• Vegetables and legumes
• Fruit
• Grain foods, preferably including wholegrains
• Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes, nuts and seeds
• Milk, yoghurt, cheese or nutritionally appropriate alternatives.

Parents do not need to achieve a perfect balance at every meal. Looking at what a child eats across several days or a week often gives a more realistic picture.

Fussy (or picky) eating is common during childhood and often forms part of normal development. Research has found that picky eaters may consume less dietary variety and can have lower intakes of nutrients such as iron and zinc.²

Implementing these healthy strategies for managing picky eaters can help make your mealtimes more enjoyable for your family.

Children who eat an extremely limited range of foods, experience distress around eating or show poor growth should be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional. Depending on the situation, this may include a GP, paediatrician, Accredited Practising Dietitian, speech pathologist or feeding specialist

If you’re concerned about your child’s dietary intake, a children’s oral nutritional supplement (ONS) such as PediaSure®* may be beneficial. For personalised advice, please speak with your healthcare professional.

1. A diagnosed nutrient deficiency

The clearest reason to use a supplement is when a healthcare professional has identified a deficiency through the child’s dietary history, symptoms, examination or blood tests.

Iron deficiency is one example. Children with low iron intake, certain gastrointestinal conditions, blood loss or increased requirements may be at greater risk. Adolescents who menstruate can also have increased iron requirements.³

Iron supplements should not be given routinely or based on tiredness alone. Too much iron can be harmful, and symptoms such as fatigue may have many possible causes.

2. Increased risk of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D supports calcium absorption and normal bone development. Children may be at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency when they have limited sun exposure, darker skin, consistently cover most of their skin, have certain medical conditions or receive very little vitamin D from their diet.

Parents should follow medical advice that is appropriate for their child’s age, health, location and individual risk factors.

3. Food allergies and elimination diets

Children with food allergies may need to avoid nutritionally important foods such as milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish or nuts.

Removing a major food group without an appropriate replacement can reduce energy, protein, vitamin or mineral intake. Research involving children following elimination diets for gastrointestinal food allergies found that adequate energy and protein intake was important for supporting growth.⁴

A child who avoids dairy products, for example, may require carefully selected calcium-fortified alternatives. Whether a calcium supplement is needed will depend on the child’s total intake, age and clinical circumstances.

Food exclusions should be medically justified and reviewed regularly. Parents should not remove multiple food groups based solely on unverified intolerance testing or general wellness advice.

4. Medical conditions affecting nutrition

Some medical conditions can affect appetite, digestion, absorption or nutrient requirements. These may include:

• Coeliac disease.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Chronic kidney or liver disease.
• Conditions causing prolonged diarrhoea or vomiting.
• Certain metabolic or neurological conditions.
• Recovery from major illness or surgery.

In these situations, supplementation should form part of an individual treatment plan. The appropriate nutrient, dose and duration may differ substantially from the amounts contained in a standard children’s multivitamin.

5. Poor growth or inadequate energy intake

Children who are not gaining weight or growing as expected need a proper assessment rather than an automatically selected vitamin supplement.

Concerned about your child’s growth and development? Try .

PediaSure^®* Powder contains all of the nutrients listed above. It provides complete, balanced nutrition and has been clinically shown to support^** appetite,^2,3 immunity^2,3 and growth.^2,4,5

There is no single best vitamin for every picky eater. The appropriate approach depends on which foods are missing, the child’s growth and whether there is evidence of a deficiency. Addressing feeding variety remains important even when a supplement is used.

The season alone does not mean a child needs a multivitamin or immune supplement. Vitamin D may require consideration in children with recognised risk factors, but recommendations should be based on the child’s circumstances rather than the season alone.

Supplements will not make a well-nourished child grow beyond their genetic potential. They may support normal growth when a genuine deficiency or inadequate nutritional intake is present.

Seek professional advice when a child excludes an entire food group, has a food allergy, eats fewer and fewer foods, shows poor growth, has persistent gastrointestinal symptoms or develops possible signs of deficiency.

Most children should obtain their nutrition primarily from a varied, age-appropriate diet. A supplement can be valuable when it addresses a specific deficiency, restricted diet, medical condition or increased nutritional requirement.

A GP, paediatrician, pharmacist or Accredited Practising Dietitian can help answer that question based on the child’s diet, growth, health and individual needs.

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised medical or dietary advice. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

*Food for Special Medical Purposes. Use under medical supervision.

References :
1. Barretto JR, et al. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2024;100(Suppl 1):S31-S39,
2. Huynh DTT, et al. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015;28:623–35.
3. Ghosh AK, et al. J Int Med Res. 2018 Jun;46(6):2186–2201.
4. Huynh DTT, et al. J Nutr Sci. 2016;5:e20.
5. Alarcon, et al. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2003:42:209–17.