This question has been has been tormenting parents all over the world. Yet, there are no easy answers to it. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)says that "a diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid provides adequate amounts of all the vitamins a child needs." But then, there are a lot of other factors that decide whether your child is getting adequate amounts of vitamins, such as the child's eating habits, composition and quality of the diets, etc.

One important thing to note here is that the quality of most foods available now has declined. The only good ones available now are organically grown food. Just look at these figures: the amount of calcium in broccoli has fallen by a whopping 50 per cent, the iron content in watercress is down by a steep 88 per cent, the vitamin C in cauliflower has fallen by a huge 40 per cent... You may not be giving your child the usual fare of refined food spiked with sugar and fat and carbohydrates. Yet, there is no guarantee that he or she is getting her required daily dose of children's vitamins.

Still experts disagree much on this subject of children's vitamins. The AAP advises giving your child a vitamin supplement only if your pediatrician recommends it. That is because most of the daily foods are fortified. However, the AAP acknowledges that a daily dose of children's vitamins won't hurt your child unless it exceeds the recommended daily allowance for any vitamin or mineral. Also, such a daily dose of children's vitamins help fill in any gaps in a child's nutrition, and also helps children who are sensitive to certain foods. What is to be borne in mind here is that children's vitamins cannot replace good food. They can only supplement your child's food. If your child is not eating well, you should not only give him children's vitamin supplements but also take steps to improve his eating habits and his diet.

Oh yes, there is one more reason why you should be giving your children a proper diet. Recent research says diet and behavior are interlinked. The Appleton Central Alternative High School replaced vending machines with water coolers and started offering fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-grain bread and a salad bar in place of the hamburgers and french fries. The result: No longer does a police officer patrol the school's hallways, there is no vandalism, there is no litter.

Go for food-based children's vitamins

Now comes the important question. What kind of children's vitamin should you give your child? You should start with a food-based vitamin. No questions about that. Synthetic vitamins are out. Scientists and doctors now prefer to use natural vitamins. This is where glyconutritionals come in. They are foods and nutritional supplements that provide saccharides along with other glycoforms essential to the body. Glyconutritional blends are made from fruits and vegetables and contain the essential vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients, and provide support for the body's immune system.

The saccharides in glyconutritionals are necessary for proper 'cell-to-cell' communication and helps keep the body's glands and organs functioning well. They also help the immune system and the endocrine system in top order, and the body in optimal health.

Worried about how you will make your child swallow all those pills? Well, children's vitamins and nutritional supplements now come as delicious, multicolored, flavored, chewable tablets. Your children will eat them up just as they eat up the junk foods and candies!