Is it worth giving my child a multivitamin?

What the evidence says

The American Academy of Pediatrics is fairly clear on this one: healthy children eating a normal, balanced diet don't need vitamin supplements beyond the recommended daily amounts. Megadoses of some vitamins can even cause side effects like nausea or headaches.

There are specific exceptions, though. Breastfed babies need vitamin D drops, and sometimes iron, because breast milk alone doesn't provide enough. Kids on restrictive diets (like vegan diets), picky eaters, or those with certain medical conditions may also benefit from targeted supplements, ideally chosen with your pediatrician's input.

Interestingly, research looking at what's actually in children's multivitamins found many products are heavy on nutrients kids already get plenty of from food, while sometimes falling short on ones like vitamin D, and some exceed safe upper limits for things like folic acid. So a generic multivitamin may not target your child's real gaps.

Bottom line: if your child eats a reasonably varied diet, food first is the better strategy. If you're worried about a specific nutrient gap or your child is a very selective eater, that's worth a conversation with your pediatrician rather than reaching for a bottle on your own.