Can A Child Overdose On Gummy Vitamins?

They may seem as innocuous as their candy counterparts, but children's gummy vitamins are a drug and should be treated as such. Accidental overdose of vitamins can occur when a child either mistakes gummy vitamins for candy treats or is too young to understand the implications of an overdose. All vitamins should be kept out of reach of children and with a childproof cap intact.

The Dangers of Iron

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poison control centers report that iron supplements are a leading cause of poisoning deaths in U.S. children. Because of this, most children's vitamins do not contain iron. However, there is still a potential for vitamin overdose and toxicity from children's vitamins. Vitamins that are fat-soluble, such as vitamins A and D, are particularly likely to cause a toxic reaction because of their tendency to accumulate in the body's fat stores and cause damage over time.

Vitamin A Overdose

In the August 2006 issue of "Pediatrics," Hugh Simon Lam and his colleagues reported on managing the cases of several children who had overdosed on gummy vitamins at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. According to Lam, the large quantities of vitamin A the children had ingested caused the level of the vitamin A product retinol in their blood to rise over a series of weeks and then slowly decline. This is particularly worrisome because a too-high level of retinol in the bloodstream can cause organ damage.

Acute Vitamin Toxicity and Chronic Vitamin Toxicity

Some indicators of acute vitamin toxicity -- a sudden overdose -- are headache, avoiding light or complaining that light hurts his eyes, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, extreme drowsiness or apathy, seizures and skin peeling. Indicators of chronic toxicity -- an overdose over a period of time -- include eczema and other skin disorders, musculoskeletal pain, constipation, unexplained weight loss, excess bruising and a continuation of any or all acute symptoms. If you have reason to believe your child ingested a quantity of vitamins, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Preventing Overdose

Dr. Daniel Keyes, director of the North Texas Poison Center, suggests that all medication, including gummy vitamins, be kept out of children's sight so they will not be tempted. Keep pills in their childproof original containers, even if you are traveling and it is inconvenient to bring the entire package. Don't encourage children to take vitamins by comparing them to candy, and never take pills in front of children. You also should not give one child medication in front of others.

Children May Not Need Multivitamins

According to a study published by Richard Allen, M.D., MPH, in "American Family Physician," most children consume enough vitamins and minerals in a normal small amount of food to take care of their daily needs. In some cases, however, Allen does recommend supplements. For example, if your child does not drink at least 2 cups a day of fortified cow's milk and does not get much sunlight, a vitamin D supplement may be warranted. Children from low-income families, children who do not eat meat or those who are living with a chronic disease may also benefit from vitamin supplementation. Talk with your health care provider to see if your child could benefit from taking a multivitamin supplement.