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What happens when your child is lacking a vitamin or mineral? 

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  • A zinc deficiency can slow down your child’s growth.

  • Not enough iodine can cause goiter (a swelling of the neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland), and other conditions like intellectual disability.

  • Iron deficiency can cause tiredness, lack of concentration and pale skin.

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The best way for your child to get enough vitamins and minerals is by eating a wide variety of foods from the five food groups:

  • vegetables

  • fruit

  • grain food – bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, rice, corn and so on

  • reduced-fat dairy food – milk, yogurt, and cheese

  • meat, fish, chicken, eggs, peas, beans,  chickpeas, and nuts, just to name a few.

But if you have a picky eater, you will find out that they will not get enough vitamins and minerals thru the foods they eat.  SO the next best thing is vitamin supplements.  A child should take a multi-vitamin everyday. 

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How early should you start giving your child a vitamin??

IF they can chew and are eating table foods, they should be getting a vitamin daily. 

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Vitamins

Our Children today are not getting enough of the right nutrition in their diet!  Your child needs lots of essential vitamins and minerals for growth and development. They include vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K and minerals like calcium, iron, iodine and zinc.

 

Top Vitamins and Minerals for Children....

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Vitamin A -promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; and healthy skin, eyes, and immune responses.

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Vitamin Bs- The family of B vitamins -- B2, B3, B6, and B12 -- aid metabolism, energy production, and healthy circulatory and nervous systems.

 

Vitamin C-promotes healthy muscles, connective tissue, and skin.

 

Vitamin D -promotes bone and tooth formation and helps the body absorb calcium.

 

Calcium- helps build strong bones as a child grows.

 

Iron- builds muscle and is essential to healthy red blood cells. Iron deficiency is a risk in adolescence, especially for girls once they begin to menstruate.

 

Zinc- helps with growth, wound healing and immune system function.  

 

What is Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? It is a complex developmental disorder that affects the brain’s normal development. 

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The human brain is a complex organ requiring many different nutrients to properly function.

Question: How can I help my child with Autism?????

Answer: This is not a cure, but start by giving your child a multi-vitamin daily.  Vitamin supplements come in chew able and liquid.  Making sure that the supplement has these 7 essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy brain.

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1.       Thiamin (B1) is one of the many B vitamins that is found abundantly in the brain and nerve tissue

2.       Folic acid (B9)

3.       Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

4.       Calcium

5.       Magnesium

6.       Zinc

7.       Iron

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Studies have shown that no matter the age of the person, young or old having a lack of nutrition; will contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders, age-related cognitive decline, and developmental disorders.   But the increase of brain-supporting nutrients has shown an improvement in various aspects of cognitive functioning such as learning and memory. It is important and the responsibility as a parent to ensure your child’s brain is getting the right kind of nutrients.   You will see improvements with better eye-contact, better communication skills, and the ability to interact with others.  Be consistent, if you don’t see a change in a week or even 2 weeks, don’t give up!!  It take up to 30 days for some to get it in their system.

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Best practice always consultant your primary physician when starting your child on vitamin supplements and make sure to keep all vitamins or medications out of the reach of children!!

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First 5 California will convene, partner in, and help lead the movement to create and implement a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated system for California’s children prenatal through age 5 and their families. It will promote, support, and optimize early childhood development.

https://www.first5california.com/en-us/about/

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https://www.illinoiscaresforkids.org/

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