Vitamins are a vital part of a child's development and necessary for building healthy skin, bones, and cognitive development. Most vitamins can be found in eating a healthy diet, but sometimes your kiddo needs some extra vitamins and minerals to boost growth. But what if your child won't take normal vitamins? What are some reasons for this?

Picky Eaters

When it comes to eating, kids usually have their ideas of what’s good and bad. If they had their choice, it would be cheerios and chocolate for every meal. Put something green on their plate, and it’s like you’ve asked them to kiss a frog.

Put a vitamin in their mouth, and they might spit it out. For parents with a picky eater, it's best to start slow and introduce one new food at a time. Sometimes just having them taste a small part or keep offering the same food again breaks them down and encourages better eating habits.

Need to Grow Into Taking Vitamins

Before age 10, taking pills or vitamins can be difficult for children. You need to be patient and encourage practice under your guidance to avoid choking. One trick is to mix vitamins in with M&Ms or other candies at first, to encourage the habit of taking a vitamin.

Dislike or Have a Hard Time Swallowing

Vitamins come in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes kids have a hard time swallowing bulky pills. You have to teach them how to swallow or find a chewable or gummy vitamin that’s fun to eat. You can also use specialized pill cups. You fill the cup with flavored water. Pop the vitamin in and show your kiddo how to quickly swallow the liquid and the vitamin at the same time.

Because You Want Them Too

Sometimes the very thing you want your child to do is the very thing they won't do. Your child senses you want them to eat something or a swallow a vitamin, and as a talented Houdini, they know how to resist your talents. Try not to make a big deal out of it or force them to swallow.

Health Concern or Impairment

For those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD taking pills can be difficult for various reasons.  Your child might resist taking pills, and the problem becomes worse as your child grows older. Some parents with children with challenges cut up the pills or dip them into apple sauce to make the process easier.

Try a Gummy Vitamin

While you could hide the vitamin in applesauce or crush it up and put it in some grape juice, there are alternative to capsules or tablets. Gummy vitamins come in fun colors, easy to chew, and kids love them.  Chewable vitamins make swallowing a moot point, and you won't have to bribe or convince even the most unwilling vitamin taker, to sink into one. In fact, you might have to hide them, to keep grabby hands out of the vitamin jar.