Does My Child Need a Multivitamin? A Practical Guide for Parents

Children's nutrition can become surprisingly confusing.

One parent may be told that children should take vitamins every day. Another may hear that a balanced diet provides everything they need. Then there are shelves full of children's multivitamins promising support for growth, immunity, energy, concentration and development.

The reality is more straightforward.

UK guidance does recommend some vitamin supplements for children, particularly when they are young. That does not mean every child needs every vitamin and mineral in supplement form.

The short version

Children aged 6 months to 5 years are generally advised to take supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day. Babies having at least 500 ml of infant formula per day are an exception because formula is already fortified.

Children aged 1 to 4 years should receive 10 µg of vitamin D every day throughout the year.

For children over 4, UK guidance says everyone should consider 10 µg of vitamin D during autumn and winter. Some children may need it throughout the year depending on factors such as sun exposure and skin tone.

A broad multivitamin can be useful in some circumstances, including a very limited diet, but it should not be treated as a replacement for food or as something every child automatically needs.

If your child's eating is very restricted, their growth is concerning, or you suspect a deficiency, it is better to seek professional advice than simply add more supplements.

Start with food

Children need energy, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals to support normal growth and development.

The best starting point is still a varied diet.

Different foods provide different nutrients, which is why variety matters more than trying to identify one "perfect" food or supplement. Fruit and vegetables, grains and starchy foods, dairy or suitable alternatives, and protein foods can all contribute different things.

For young children in particular, eating preferences can change quickly. A child may eat a food happily for weeks and then suddenly refuse it. That does not necessarily mean something is wrong.

The aim is not a perfect diet every day. It is to build variety over time.

What vitamins does the NHS recommend for young children?

This is where the advice becomes more specific.

The government recommends that children aged 6 months to 5 years are given supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day. Babies consuming more than 500 ml of infant formula each day do not need additional vitamin supplements because formula already contains added nutrients.

Breastfed babies should receive vitamin D from birth.

For children aged 1 to 4, the recommendation is 10 µg of vitamin D every day throughout the year.

This is an important distinction. The recommendation is not "all young children need a comprehensive multivitamin". It is specific guidance around particular vitamins.

Families who qualify for Healthy Start may also be able to receive children's vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D free of charge.

What happens after the age of 5?

For older children, the emphasis shifts more towards obtaining nutrients from a varied diet.

Vitamin D remains an exception.

For children over 4, government advice is that everyone should consider taking 10 µg of vitamin D daily during autumn and winter, when sunlight in the UK is not strong enough for the skin to make enough vitamin D.

Some children may also need vitamin D throughout the year. This includes children with very little sun exposure and those with darker skin, including children from African, African-Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds.

That does not automatically mean they need a broad multivitamin.

What if your child is a selective eater?

Selective eating is common, especially in younger children.

Some children go through phases of refusing vegetables, eating only a small range of familiar foods or rejecting foods because of their texture or appearance.

A multivitamin may sometimes provide useful nutritional backup when a child's diet is particularly restricted, but it does not solve the reason for selective eating and should not replace work on dietary variety.

If your child eats an extremely limited range of foods, avoids whole food groups, has problems chewing or swallowing, is losing weight, is not growing as expected, or you are otherwise worried about their nutrition, speak to your GP, health visitor, pharmacist or dietitian.

NHS dietetic services also advise considering an age-appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement in some cases of very selective eating, while still working on the child's diet.

More vitamins are not automatically better

It is easy to assume that if a little of a nutrient is good, more must offer greater benefit.

That is not how nutrition works.

Some vitamins are stored in the body, and taking several overlapping supplements can result in unnecessary intake. Vitamin D is one example. The NHS advises that children aged 1 to 10 should not take more than 50 µg per day unless following different medical advice.

If your child already takes vitamin drops, a multivitamin, fortified foods or another supplement, check the labels before adding something else.

It is also worth remembering that the percentage NRV shown on a supplement label is a labelling reference value. It should not be used by parents to calculate a child's dose themselves.

Use the age-specific directions supplied with the product instead.

What should you look for in a children's supplement?

Age suitability matters more than a long ingredient list.

Check who the product is actually intended for, how many should be taken, whether it duplicates other supplements your child already receives, and whether the format is appropriate for their age.

Gummies can be useful for children who dislike tablets, but they should still be treated as supplements rather than sweets. Keep them out of children's reach and supervise use where appropriate.

More ingredients do not necessarily make one children's supplement better than another.

The right product is the one that addresses the reason you are supplementing, provides an appropriate amount, and is suitable for the individual child.

A note about Khan Nutrition Children's Multivitamin & Mineral Gummies

Our Children's Multivitamin & Mineral Gummies are intended for children aged 3 years and over.

The supplier directions are:

Ages 3 to 8: one gummy daily.

Over 8 years: two gummies daily.

The formula contains vitamins A, C, D and E, several B vitamins, biotin, folic acid, zinc and iodine. It is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and it is halal.

There is one important point parents should know.

One gummy provides 1.25 µg of vitamin D.

That means the product does not on its own provide the 10 µg daily vitamin D amount recommended by the NHS for children aged 1 to 4. Children over 4 are also advised to consider 10 µg daily during autumn and winter.

So we would not describe these gummies as a replacement for the specific NHS vitamin D recommendation.

If you are using more than one children's supplement, check the combined amounts or speak to a pharmacist, health visitor or other appropriate healthcare professional rather than simply adding products together.

Explore Children's Multivitamin & Mineral Gummies

What is worth remembering?

Children need vitamins and minerals, but supplements are not a competition to fit the largest number of nutrients into one gummy.

For younger children, there is clear UK guidance around vitamins A, C and D. Vitamin D also remains relevant for older children, particularly during autumn and winter.

A broad multivitamin may be useful for some families, particularly where dietary variety is limited, but it should complement food rather than replace it.

The most useful question is not:

"What is the best multivitamin for every child?"

It is:

"Does my child need additional supplementation, and if so, what are they actually missing?"

That usually leads to a much better decision.

Sources and further reading

NHS: Vitamins for children
UK guidance on vitamins A, C and D for babies and children under 5.
Read NHS guidance on vitamins for children

NHS: Vitamin D
Guidance on vitamin D requirements, supplementation and upper intake levels for children and adults.
Read NHS vitamin D guidance

Healthy Start: Getting vitamins
Information about Healthy Start children's vitamin drops and eligibility.
Read about Healthy Start vitamins

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust: Selective eating
Practical dietetic guidance for families dealing with very restricted diets.
Read the selective eating guidance

Last reviewed: September 2026