The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, represents the amount of a vitamin that individuals of a specific age group should consume each day in order to stay healthy. The RDA of vitamins for 5-year-old children is significantly lower than the RDA for adults, but it is equally important that a 5-year-old consume the right amount of each vitamin every day.
B Vitamins
The B vitamin group consists of 8 separate vitamins: biotin, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12, and a 5-year-old requires different amounts of each. The RDA for biotin is 12 micrograms (mcg) and the RDA for folate is 200 mcg. A 5-year-old should consume 8 mg of niacin, 3 mg of pantothenic acid, 0.6 mg each of riboflavin, thiamine and vitamin B-6. The RDA for vitamin B-12 for a 5-year-old is 1.2 mcg per day.
The B vitamins work together as coenzymes, allowing chemical reactions to take place. One of the major functions of B vitamins is to help metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy.
Vitamin C
A 5-year-old requires 25 mg of vitamin C per day. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and allows a child's body to synthesize collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the body. Collagen is found in a variety of different tissues, and it helps a child move and allows the skin to stretch.
Vitamin D
The RDA for vitamin D for a 5-year-old child is 600 international units per day. Vitamin D helps maintain the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in blood plasma by increasing the rate of absorption in the small intestine. This ensures that a child's body is able to create strong bones and teeth.
Vitamin A
A 5-year-old child should consume 400 mcg of vitamin A daily. Vitamin A helps maintain eyesight and night vision. Vitamin A is also needed to keep the skin healthy and helps a child's body create white blood cells, which help protect the body from infections.
Vitamin K
The RDA for vitamin K is 55 mcg per day. Vitamin K is a coenzyme that is required for the synthesis of various proteins that are involved in proper blood clotting. Vitamin K also helps a child's body produce proteins that help create strong bones.
Vitamin E
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that a 5-year-old child consume 7 mg of vitamin E every day. Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E also plays a role as an anticoagulant, preventing the blood from clotting abnormally.
References
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Vitamins
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
- "Nutrition and You"; Joan Salge Blake; 2008
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
