Giving Supplements to Children: What Questions Should You Ask Yourself?

Updated on October 6, 2026

Summary: Giving Supplements to Children: What Questions Should You Ask?

Lynn Goneau, a naturopath at La Boîte à Grains, explains that supplements aren’t always necessary for children: a varied and balanced diet remains the priority. However, they may be appropriate when a food group is consumed infrequently or not at all—such as fish, meat, or vegetables—which can reduce the intake of certain nutrients like omega-3s, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, or magnesium.

The goal, therefore, is not to replace a healthy diet with vitamins, but to choose supplements based on the child’s actual needs and age.

1) Supplements are no substitute for a balanced diet

For a healthy child who is growing normally and eats a relatively varied diet, many supplements are not necessarily needed. Diet remains the foundation, as it provides not only vitamins and minerals but also fiber and a wide variety of nutrients.

2) Identify what’s missing from their plate

Eating habits can help identify potential nutritional needs. A child who doesn’t eat fish may have a lower intake of omega-3; one who eats little meat warrants special attention, particularly regarding iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Low vegetable intake can also reduce fiber intake and the intake of several vitamins and minerals.

3) Choose a supplement suitable for the child

When choosing a supplement, consider the child’s age, diet, and specific needs. Lynn highlights Natural Factors’ children’s supplements and multivitamins as an option with formulations tailored to different age groups.

About the Author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specializes in:

• Digestive Health
• Hormonal Health
• Stress and Fatigue
• Memory and Concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host on 104.7 FM

Host at the Cogeco network’s 104.7 FM radio station. Frédéric Bisson has been hosting the show *L’Outaouais Maintenant* from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcript

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7 FM:

If there are any parents listening today with Lynn Goneau, a naturopath, at La Boite à Grains we’re going to discuss a topic that can sometimes be tricky to navigate when faced with a shelf of vitamins at La Boite à Grains, with all the options available—whether organic, non-organic options, and products with various ingredients. Hello, Lynn Goneau.

Lynn Goneau—Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Hello, Fred.

Frédéric Bisson—Host, 104.7FM:

Vitamins for kids. Personally, I always have a bit of a hard time with this. When I hear that, I think to myself, “Geez, are they really that poorly nourished? Is this really that important?”

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

It depends, Fred. A child who’s growing well, who’s healthy, and who has a relatively varied diet—they don’t necessarily need a lot of supplements because, as we know, diet is always the foundation. In fact, no supplement can replace the nutrients, fiber, and numerous natural compounds found in food. A vitamin isn’t an insurance policy that will make up for a poor diet. It’s a safety net—and only in certain situations.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

So how do we identify those situations? How do we know if a child might benefit from a supplement?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

A good rule of thumb is when a food group is missing from their plate. If they don’t like fish—not all kids eat it— But then they’re missing out on omega-3s, and omega-3s are important for brain development. They support concentration and vision.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Especially at that young age.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Or if they eat little or no meat—not all kids like it. In that case, we need to keep an eye on iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Because those nutrients help maintain good energy levels. Again, concentration and, above all, the nervous system, as well as the immune system. So it’s important to keep an eye on that—or when they eat very few vegetables, you know what I mean.

Frédéric Bisson - 104.7FM Host:

That’s right. It happens quite often.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

You have to keep an eye on fiber for digestion. Vitamin A for vision and skin, folate for cell growth, magnesium for muscles and sleep—and fruits and dairy products. That’s good news because most kids love them. So that’s rarely where they fall short. It’s the whole vegetable aspect—that’s where it really comes down to.

Frédéric Bisson – Host, 104.7FM:

Yeah. Well. If a child is eating lactose-free products—because it seems like a large portion of the population, and I include myself in that—we’re pretty lactose intolerant. A question we often hear is, “If they’re eating lactose-free products, they must be lacking calcium.”

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Actually, not necessarily—it depends on what they’re eating, because lactose-free milk, yogurt, and cheese contain just as much calcium as their regular versions.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Really?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Yes. We’ve simply removed the sugar from the milk—in other words, the lactose—but not the calcium. In that case, it’s really not a problem or a calcium deficiency. However, with plant-based beverages like almond, oat, and the like, you really have to check the label. It says “lactose-free,” but they only contain calcium if they’re fortified.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Okay, got it—it has to be listed on the label.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

So you have to choose a plant-based beverage that’s calcium-fortified.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Okay, why would that be relevant in 2026—maybe even more so than it is for you and me today?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Because children’s needs haven’t really changed. What has changed is their lifestyle. They spend less time outdoors. That’s our sunshine. We used to play in the alleys. We were always outside riding our bikes and so on.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Want to punish a kid these days? You send them outside. Back then, going outside to play was like a reward.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

It was a nightmare having to go inside. We never wanted to.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Yeah.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

We’re eating more ultra-processed foods and our schedules are much busier. So meals are really just thrown together on the fly. It’s not that children’s bodies are different—it’s that their diets are really lacking in nutrients.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

I see what you mean, and besides, it’s not just about kids. We’re on the same page. It’s a big issue for adults, too. It’s separate from what we buy. Yes. So when it comes to multivitamins, which vitamin would you say is the most important?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Without a doubt, here in Quebec, the clear winner is vitamin D. From fall through spring, the sun is really too low for the skin to produce enough of it. And diet alone doesn’t provide enough—though you should always check with a pharmacist, doctor, or even a pediatrician to ensure the correct dosages. Then, depending on the child’s needs—whether it’s infants as young as six months, teenagers, or vegetarian children—iron becomes very important. Vitamin B12 in a plant-based diet. Often, we don’t supplement it, and then there’s omega-3. If the child never eats fish, as we mentioned earlier, there’s one small thing to remember: when you explain to your child why you’re giving them a multivitamin, They might actually believe that a pill or a vitamin candy is the only solution for good health, at the expense of real food.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

But that’s not it. It’s a supplement. Basically, you have to eat well to begin with. Yes, and it’s like an insurance policy, in a way. So you have a supplement to recommend—a multivitamin.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, supplements and multivitamins from Natural Factors—I really like them—are formulated for different age groups of children. And of course, it’s a company based in British Columbia that has developed a truly comprehensive line of high-quality natural supplements. And when we say “tailored to their age,” that’s what’s important—from zero to one year old, and so on.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

And the dosage is super important. As you said, adults don’t have the same liver function as children, nor do children have the same kidney function as adults. If someone wants more advice, perhaps a personalized consultation—do you accept new clients or new patients?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Yes, definitely. New clients can easily find me on the La Boite à Grains website. All my contact information is there, so they just need to send me a quick email, and I can meet with them directly at the office at La Boite à Grains on Gréber.