The importance of a diet that is both nutritious and varied is the key to good mental health and good emotional health. Sometimes even the best diets do not provide adequate nutrients that are needed and some children need more of certain nutrients. We've also seen that children may be very picky eaters. Never mind the challenge of providing meals, that are perfectly balanced in nutritional value and then overcoming the nay-sayer child.

Supplements are the most reliable method of ensuring your child is getting the appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for optimal nourishment. This is even more important if your child is having difficulty mentally or emotionally. Remember, there is an excellent range of vitamin and mineral supplement on the market. Just a small deficiency can have a significant impact on a child that is growing.

Start Supplementing When?

The minute you start to wean your child you should consider supplementing. While you are breastfeeding you need to be taking the supplements, which then will naturally get passed on to your baby.

How To Choose The Right Supplements

When it comes to child's supplements you are looking at three areas all of which are broad ? multivitamins, essential fast, and mineral supplements that will incorporate all of the nutrients necessary for your child.

You can choose crushable, chewable, liquid, or soluble formulas depending on the age of your child and their preferences. It's best to give your child their supplement with breakfast. If that's not an option give some time during the day but never last thing at night because Vitamin B is a mild stimulant, and for some children glutamine also is.

Children tend to be more at risk for vitamin toxicity than adults are, and while dosages are well below toxicity levels but for sensitive children this can still be too high, so don't be tempted to give more than that recommended level unless you are under the direction of your doctor or nutritional therapist.

Most times you will choose a chewable multivitamin and mineral, unless you are correcting a specific problem and giving your child Probiotics or glutamine powder. Usually you'll be giving one for every two years, so by the time your child is six you'll be giving three a day. Of course, it depends on the strength of the multivitamins and minerals, best spread out throughout the day. Most multivitamins don't have enough Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. That's because vitamin C is tart, calcium and magnesium make a chewable vitamin too crunchy, and zinc tastes metallic.

There are several ways to beat this problem. If you are giving your child ground seeds each day as recommended they will be getting a reasonable amount of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. You can also use powdered calcium and magnesium, which you can add to drinks. Chewable Vitamin C that uses calcium/magnesium ascorbate is great way to take care of all three. If your child isn't sleeping well and you want to give them a little extra magnesium this is also a good option. The easiest way to give your child that little extra vitamin C is simply by making sure they get five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Broccoli, Peppers, citrus fruit, and berries are the best Vitamin C foods. If necessary you can crush a supplement and then add to diluted fruit juice or water.