What is it ?
Food supplements are intended to supplement the diet with low doses of active substances in order to improve well-being. Concretely, their formula often resembles that of herbal medicine, but it is less dosed. And they are mostly sold without a prescription in different distribution channels.
What’s the point ?
Take care of the sores of the little ones. Food supplements for children can in no way replace a real medicine. They are formulated to take care of the very slight dysfunctions of children over 36 months which are not the responsibility of the doctor: for example, a child who sleeps badly (Unadix Sommeil which combines extracts of lime blossom, verbena, chamomile, flower of ‘orange, hops and passionflower ¤ 10,50 in pharmacies), which seems restless or has less appetite than usual (Unadix appetite based on gentian hops, fenugreek, ginger and spirulina ¤ 10,50 in pharmacies ), but that the pediatrician finds in good health because he has no fever, no deep fatigue or particular pain. In fact, the food supplement then provides an appropriate response to small psychological or food imbalances, nothing more.
Reassure mothers. Until now, minor ailments were ignored by the medical profession and by pharmacists, to the dismay of mothers. Food supplements allow them to get out of this frustration. By giving their little one a spoonful of syrup, they have the feeling that they are accomplishing an effective and risk-free act. Of course, supplements reassure more than they cure, but if mothers feel more serene, this also has a positive effect on the child’s dysfunction.
How to use them?
Never before 3 years. Food supplements are not intended for infants and a child under 3 years of age is not given anything without the advice of his pediatrician. For a maximum of three weeks. If it does not provide relief within a few days of taking it, stop immediately. If the pain has worsened, we consult the pediatrician as soon as possible. If the supplementation gives good results, we can continue the treatment for three weeks maximum and renew it, if necessary, once per quarter.
We check the formula. Before buying, we decode the labels, we track down added and unnecessary sugars, alcohol whose harmful effects we know, and we make sure that the formulas only contain vitamins, trace elements and / or plants. sweet known to all such as lime or orange blossom.
We choose the right distribution channel. Given that the raw materials, the methods of extraction and manufacture, the concentrations and the conservation vary according to the brands and the distribution channels, we put all the chances on our side in terms of safety by buying these products in pharmacies or by drugstore.
Your questions
Are Omega 3s good for my children?
Children need Omega 3 and there’s nothing stopping them from giving them children’s ‘foods’ enriched with essential fatty acids. On the other hand, they should not be given supplements containing Omega 3 intended for adults.
Are vitamins part of food supplements?
Here again, the border with the drug is blurred. It all depends on the dose. There are drugs and food supplements based on vitamins or vitamin cocktail. What about cod liver oil? It is no longer used because of its unpleasant taste and smell, but it is an excellent food source of vitamins A, D and omega 3.