Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

3. Children 1-4 years
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins are essential for normal growth,
development and normal body functions.
Some vitamins and minerals are important in
the immune system, for protection against ill
health and disease.
There are some vitamins and minerals
which have been shown to be consumed by
children in quantities below recommended
intakes. These include Vitamins A, C and D
and the minerals iron and zinc. Increasing
the amounts of different meats, fish, cereals
and fruits and vegetables in the diet will
improve the intakes of all these nutrients. 28
Healthy Start
The Healthy Start Scheme replaced the
Welfare Food Scheme in November 2006.
Children in your care may be receiving the
Healthy Start vitamins that are available
free of charge to families in receipt of
Income Support, income based Jobseeker’s
Allowance or Child Tax credit. They are
entitled to vouchers that can be exchanged
for cow’s milk, fresh fruit and vegetables
and infant formula as well as vitamin drops
containing vitamins A, C and D. You may
wish to display a poster/leaflet in your setting.
For further information see Section 10.
Vitamin supplementation
While most of us obtain adequate
amounts of Vitamin D from the action of
sun on the skin, young children do not
always get enough exposure to sunlight
and therefore need to ensure adequate
amounts from a mixture of sunlight, diet and
supplementation.
Adequate vitamin D levels depend on getting
enough sunlight and/ or taking a vitamin
supplement.
For children under 5 the current advice
for vitamin supplementation is to take a
supplement containing Vitamins A, D and C.
Exceptions are:
• Breastfed babies less than 6 months
of age.
• Babies over 6 months who are consuming
significantly less than 500mls of infant
formula per day.
There is no recommendation to give young
children under 5 years other more complex
multi-vitamin and/or mineral preparations
unless they are on a special or therapeutic
diet and it has been advised by a dietitian/
doctor.
276530 10/06 200k Produced by COI for the Department of Health + Welsh version produced by Welsh Assembly Government (G027/07-08)
276530 10/06 200k Produced by COI for the Department of Health + Welsh version produced by Welsh Assembly Government (G027/07-08)
Ffoniwch 08701 555 455 a
gofynnwch am y ffurflen HS01(W)
ewch i www.healthystart.nhs.uk
neu gallwch gael taflen wybodaeth
yn eich clinig neu’ch meddygfa
Cychwyn Iach
Rhoi’r dechrau gorau i’ch
plentyn mewn bywyd
Gall menywod beichiog a phlant o dan bedwar oed
mewn teuluoedd sy’n derbyn budd-daliadau
penodol a menywod beichiog dan 18 oed
gael llaeth, ffrwythau, llysiau a fformwla
babanod yn rhad ac am ddim.
Give your kids the
best start in life
Pregnant women and
children under four
in families receiving
certain benefits and
pregnant women
under 18 can get
free milk, fruit,
vegetables
and infant
formula.
Call 08701 555 455 and ask for
form HS01(W)
visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk
or pick up a leaflet from your clinic
or doctor’s surgery
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