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Most children get all the nutrients they need just from eating the usual kinds of food. But many parents still worry that their children are not eating right. They wonder if giving a vitamin each day will help to keep their children healthy.
An adult multivitamin may be helpful and safe for the growth and development of a 12-year-old boy. Vitamins for adults are commonly recommended for children over 12.
There are age-specific guidelines for which vitamins and minerals (and how much) are recommended for children and adults. Most children can safely take a daily vitamin supplement. Just make sure it contains no more than 100 percent of the recommended daily value of each vitamin and mineral for their age. Taking more than the recommended amounts can be harmful.
The American Academy of Pediatrics finds that vitamin supplements are probably not needed for healthy kids over age one who eat a varied diet. As good as vitamins and minerals can be in safe doses, the best way to get these nutrients is simply to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Some children do need certain supplements. For example, girls require plenty of iron as they get older because they will lose iron once their monthly periods begin.
Henry H. Bernstein, D.O., is a senior lecturer in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. In addition, he is chief of General Academic Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth and professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School. He is the former associate chief of General Pediatrics and director of Primary Care at Children's Hospital Boston. 
