My 7yr old DD won't take vitamins

[slo]

My 7yr old won't take vitamins - she absolutly hates them!!!

I started buying gummy vitamins for my 2yr old and I asked my 7yr old if she would take these. She said she would only take the yellow ones So I sorted out all the yellow vitamins and started giving them to her. She would take them, and I was happy .

Then this weekend while I was emptying out the bathroom garbage I found several of these vitamins stuck to the bottom and sides of the garbage can. I felt really bad that she was taking these vitamins and then sneaking them into the garbage . Granted, I have preached to her why it's important to take vitamins, but I didn't think I preached to the point that she decided to take the vitamins to shut me up and make me happy .

I told her that I found the vitamins in the garbage can and she looked like this . I told her they are very expensive and I wish she wouldn't have thrown them away. I haven't given her any since because I don't want her feeling the need to sneak around our house - I don't feel that's right

So, I'm thinking about buying some Pediasure because I feel she needs some extra vitamins. She is pretty petite for her age and she doesn't eat very well (very small amounts at a time). My question is ........have any of you bought Pediasure for you children and did they like the way it tasted??? Pediasure is pretty expensive and I don't want to buy it and have it taste horrible . Please let me know what you think.

Thanks!!!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

If your daughter is eating a nutritous diet she doesn't need vitamins.

 

[Christine]

What does your pediatrician think?

I guess I'm not understanding this strong desire you have that the vitamins are required? They really are not unless you and your doctor feel there is a malnourishment issue going on.

If she won't take the vitamin supplements, just buy some of the vitamin fortified cereals and have her eat them here and there.

I guess you've tried all the other vitamins out there. I think the gummy ones are kind of nasty myself and I personally enjoy the Flintstone vitamins.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

My pediatrician told me years ago when I started giving them vitamins 9because I thought that is what a good mom did)...throw them out! (that is really what he said).

Kids get their required daily balance in the foods they eat.

 

[mom2boys]

My kids ages 10 & (almost) 12 will only take Flintstone vitamins. They like the taste.

 

[RadioNate]

Just because she is petite and eats small meals doesn't mean she is unhealthy.

I don't know when we (American society) started equating overweight and chubby with healthy.

Most dieticians say that eating 6 small meals is better than eating 3 large ones anyway.

I wouldn't force the issue.

As for PediSure. I haven't tasted it but I did taste "Boost" once. My grandfather drank it when he was no longer able to eat solid food. It was NASTY! I can't imagine PediSure tastes any batter.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Sounds exactly like our Natalie years ago. She also was/is spirited, LOL. She grew up fine, taking very few of the vitamins we gave her back then, or now on her own.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If you want her to take vitamins Flintstones are the only ones that do not use artificial sweetners.
All the other vitamins are gross....

Petite people eat small meals, that is normal.

My dd is also a bad eater and picky so we try and get alot of the vitamins in at breakfast.

OJ, an egg, 2 pirces of toast, peanut butter, milk, yogurt. That was her breakfast this morning.
I will give her a vitamin if she is on a bad eating jag. It happens.

 

[MamaLema]

DS7' doctor told me to give him vitamins because he doesn't eat ANY vegetables at all. I asked him about Pediasure and he said "no kid needs Pediasure unless they have cancer or something else that is robbing the body severly of vitamins"

The only problem I have is that DS9 wants to have a vitamin when he sees his brother and this is a kid who eats anything and everything so he doesn't need them.

 

[CEDmom]

My DD is very petite for her age and sometimes I can get her to take vitamins and sometimes I can't. Our doctor feels she should have them if possible. My bigger concern is getting calcium into her since she's not a milk drinker and now won't drink fortified OJ. I just continue to offer healthy nutrient dense foods and hope all turns out fine in the end. Whenever I start stressing about it I just remember what a poor eater I was as a kid and how much that's changed.

 

[LaLa]

I have a hard time getting DD4 to take them too. I have tried the gummies, even tried vitamin GUMBALLS, and she just cannot stand the taste. She eats vegetables and fruit, but I still would feel better if she took her vitamins too. I don't know, I guess it's just that Mom thing, I would feel better knowing that she had the vitamins than not.

There are some gummy vitamins that she will take, but only a certain kind. And she can be fickle with that. Sooo....most days she doesn't take them, and I try not to stress too much about it. But I still do try.

I have also heard that healthy kids do not need Pediasure. Plus I think if she has a problem with the taste of vitamins, that she probably would have a problem with the tast of the Pediasure as well. It has a vitamin-y aftertaste.

 

[geetey]

My doctor said the same as others have mentioned... No vitamins! I was concerned because my children (especially my DS) doesn't like to eat very much meat. They checked his iron levels and he is fine, so no vitamins here.

If you are looking for vitamins anyway, my kids like the Winnie the Pooh gummy vitamins (those are the only gummy ones they like). There are also gumball vitamins that the kids can chew.

 

[disneysteve]

There is generally no reason why a healthy child needs to take vitamins. Many of our foods are fortified: breakfast cereal, bread, pop-tarts, milk, granola/cereal bars, etc. Even kids who don't go near vegetables end up doing just fine without supplements. If your kid doesn't want to take them, I'd stop trying to give them. It'll save you money too.

 

[disneysteve]

I was concerned because my children (especially my DS) doesn't like to eat very much meat.

Neither do vegetarians and they do just fine .

 

[Disney1fan2002]

There is generally no reason why a healthy child needs to take vitamins. Many of our foods are fortified: breakfast cereal, bread, pop-tarts, milk, granola/cereal bars, etc. Even kids who don't go near vegetables end up doing just fine without supplements. If your kid doesn't want to take them, I'd stop trying to give them. It'll save you money too.

And, in case you didn't know DisneySteve is a Dr! So there you have it, right from the horses mouth! (not calling you a horse Steve, LOL )

I went through a phase where I felt if my kids ate hotdogs, I had to give them all beef...because the "other" hot dogs were foreign. My youngest would not eat anything besides chicket nuggets or hot dogs. The Ped. said, "so feed him chicken or hot dogs" I confirmed the dogs had to be all beef, he said it didn't matter.

 

[beattyfamily]

My kids did not like the prescribed vitamins with fluoride my PCP gave so I stopped getting those and I buy Flinstones which I loved as a child... Well, they are my girls' favorite. I've tried others.

My older DD also like the bubble gum vitamins, that she tried at my sister's house, but I refuse to buy those!!

If you really want them to take vitamins, try the Flinstones.

 

[tar heel]

Our pediatrician told us that it would be highly unusual for a child in our country to need a vitamin supplement.

 

[DisneyLovingMama]

OP's DD is going to love The Dis.

I give my DD vitamins occasionally; she'll eat the Disney Princess ones. But, that's only if she's going through a chicken nuggets/pizza phase.

 

[LBAK]

My DD doesn't like vitamins and pediatrician was fine with it but he did prescribe flouride tablets which she takes.

 

[JVL1018]

There is generally no reason why a healthy child needs to take vitamins. Many of our foods are fortified: breakfast cereal, bread, pop-tarts, milk, granola/cereal bars, etc. Even kids who don't go near vegetables end up doing just fine without supplements. If your kid doesn't want to take them, I'd stop trying to give them. It'll save you money too.

My kids get prescriptions vitamins because they have flouride in them..we don;t have flouride in our water.
I haven't gotten the prescription filled because DH changed jobs and was without insurnace for a couple of months.
The ped doesn't seem to think it's of the utmost importance, but he does write the scrip each time we go.
My son needs to take a baby aspirin every day and so I give him his kids vitamin at the same time, but I forget a lot of times to give DD one. I;m not too concerened about it.