Making sure your child receives good nutrition will provide him the best chance to grow and develop properly. Although each essential nutrient plays a role in childhood development, deficiencies in certain key nutrients are detrimental to your child’s health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that up to 15 percent of families in the U.S. may not be able to acquire adequate food to meet nutritional needs.
Most children in developed countries eat enough protein. However, children following a vegan diet or children of neglect have an increased risk of developing protein malnutrition, or kwashiorkor. Failure to gain weight and grow, increased irritability, decreased muscle mass, fatigue and a weakened immune system are symptoms of protein deficiency, according to MedlinePlus. The Institute of Medicine is a good resource to help determine your child’s individualized protein needs, which range from 13 to 52 grams per day depending on your child's gender and age. Good sources of protein for children include poultry, lean meat, eggs, dairy foods, legumes, nuts, peanut butter and seeds. If your child is younger than age 2, ask your pediatrician before offering him nuts, seeds and peanut butter, and avoid tough cuts of meat.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common nutrient deficiency in the U.S. is iron deficiency. Iron needs increase during rapid growth and development, especially in young children. Iron-deficiency anemia in children can lead to cognitive and motor delays. Iron-rich foods include lean meat, poultry, especially dark meat, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, leafy greens, legumes and raisins. Your child's iron needs range from 7 to 15 milligrams per day depending on his gender and age.
Vitamin D plays many important roles in the human body, but is mainly responsible for bone health. A study published in a 2009 edition of “Pediatrics” reports that 9 percent of children in the United States are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is present in fish, dairy products and egg yolks; your child can also obtain vitamin D from being exposed to sunlight. The daily recommended intake of vitamin D for children ages 1 to 18 is 15 micrograms per day.
Calcium helps your child’s bones grow and develop normally; it is also responsible for muscle function, intracellular signaling, nerve transmission and hormone secretion, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium is abundant in dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese, and calcium-fortified breakfast cereals and beverages. The recommended daily intake of calcium is 700 milligrams for kids ages 1 to 3; 1,000 milligrams for kids ages 4 to 8; and 1,300 milligrams per day for ages 9 to 18.
DHA and EPA are the two main essential omega-3 fatty acids, responsible for proper cognitive development in children. These omega-3s are abundant in fish, fish oil and algal oils. However, contaminants such as mercury are also present, in varying amounts, in fish and seafood. The Food and Drug Administration recommends children limit fish consumption to 12 ounces of low-mercury selections, such as salmon, canned light tuna, pollock, shrimp and catfish, per week. Ask your pediatrician about giving your child a purified DHA supplement, which is free from harmful levels of contaminants. According to the American Pregnancy Association, children ages 1.5 to 15 need 15 milligrams of DHA plus EPA per pound of body weight each day, and children ages 15 and up need at least 500 milligrams of DHA plus EPA every day.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- MedlinePlus: Kwashiorkor
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Iron and Iron Deficiency
- Pediatrics: Prevalence and Associations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency in US Children: NHANES 2001-2004
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Food and Drug Administration: What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish
- American Pregnancy Association: Omega-3 Fish Oil and Pregnancy
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes, Vitamins
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Macronutrients
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