Cod liver oil is a traditional children's dietary supplement that was commonly used at the beginning of the 20th century. The oil is extracted from a cod's liver by filtration at a low temperature to separate it from the liver's solid fat. Cod liver oil contains vitamins and nutrients that can be beneficial to toddlers, although not all of the additional benefits are backed by adequate scientific evidence.
Historical Benefits
Parents used to give their toddlers cod liver oil to ensure they received their daily dose of vitamin D, according to Encyclopedia.com. A vitamin D deficiency in toddlers can lead to rickets, a disease marked by bones that bend under weight, and eventually result in knock knees and bow legs. Rickets was common in the early 1900s, especially among poor children raised in cities, due to the lack of outdoor play areas where children could receive vitamin D from sunlight.
Nutritional Benefits
In addition to its high content of vitamin D, cod liver oil is rich in vitamin A and essential fatty acids. Vitamin D assists with the body's absorption of phosphorus and calcium, both of which help form strong bones. A vitamin A deficiency can result in night blindness, because the vitamin helps with the retina's photoreceptor mechanisms. Fatty acids are most beneficial to adults, rather than toddlers, to lessen the chance of heart attack, stroke, and abnormal heart rhythms in those suffering from cardiovascular disease.
Possible Health Benefits
Cod liver oil has many other possible benefits for toddlers, according to the National Institutes of Health's website Medline Plus, although the site notes scientific evidence is still lacking. Cod liver oil, or fish oil in general, seems to improve the movements of toddlers suffering from the movement disorder dyspraxia, provided the fish oil is combined with vitamin E, thyme oil and evening primrose oil. Fish oil combined with evening primrose oil appears to improve behavior, reading and spelling skills for 5- to 12-year-old children suffering from developmental coordination disorder. Fish oil also seems to help certain children of all ages cope with asthma by alleviating coughs, improving airflow and reducing the need for asthma medications.
Considerations
Cod liver oil can produce side effects that include rash, nosebleeds, heartburn, bad breath, nausea, belching and loose stools, according to Medline Plus. Toddlers with seafood allergies might also have an allergic reaction to the oil, and parents should administer with care. Doses of cod liver oil are likely to be unsafe if they exceed 3 g per day. Cod liver oil also contains a high amount of vitamin D, the Healthy Children website notes. A 1-tbsp. serving of cod liver oil contains 1,360 IUs of vitamin D, or more than three times the 400 IU recommended for children daily. The fishy taste can also be unappealing, which led to the development of flavored cod liver oil, Encyclopedia.com reports.
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