Most children and adolescents do not need a multivitamin, notes an article in the February 2002 issue of "Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine." Ideally, children and adolescents should get the bulk of their nutrition from a well-balanced diet. However, children with restricted diets, such as those needed to manage a food allergy, may require vitamin and mineral supplements. Discuss it with your pediatrician before starting your child on a multivitamin regimen.
Corn Intolerance
Reactions to corn are not true allergies, but food intolerances, according to MedlinePlus. The symptoms of an intolerance and a true food allergy can be similar, and a reaction to corn can be serious. Both raw and cooked corn can trigger reactions, and sensitive children may also need to avoid cornstarch.
Sources of Corn
Many processed foods contain corn products, such as cornstarch, high-fructose corn syrup and corn oil. Many ingredients made from corn derivatives do not contain the word "corn" in the ingredient name, such as dextrin, maltodextrin and glucose. If your child has a corn intolerance, you have to know which ingredients to look for. Remember to read the ingredient list on anything you give your child, including your multivitamins. Many multivitamins are made with cornstarch, making them dangerous for a child with a corn intolerance.
Avoiding Corn in Vitamins
Avoiding highly processed foods and reading ingredient lists carefully are two ways to be sure you do not unknowingly give corn to your child. Before you put your child on a multivitamin regimen, ask your pediatrician which vitamins your child is deficient in. It may be easier to find corn-free individual vitamins than multivitamins. If your pediatrician recommends a multivitamin, look for one that contains arrowroot instead of cornstarch.
Finding Corn-Free Multivitamins
Natural food stores and health food stores are a good source for corn-free vitamins. You may also be able to find corn-free brands online, but watch out for disreputable dealers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to beware of hoaxes and scams surrounding the sale of vitamins and health supplements. Health claims that seem too good to be true or that aren't backed up by verifiable scientific sources are good signs that a vitamin dealer may be more interested in getting your money than in delivering a safe, quality product.
References
- "Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine";Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation in Children; Megan A. Moreno, et al.; February 2009
- Medline Plus: Food Allergies
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network: Other Allergies
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Tips for the Savvy Supplement User: Making Informed Decisions and Evaluating Information; January 2002
