How to Get Kids to Take Their Supplements

The short answer: most children who refuse a supplement are put off by the taste, the texture or the fuss around it. A supplement with no strong taste, mixed into a drink or food they already like, given at the same time every day without a big build-up, is accepted by most children within a week or two. If your child has strong sensory sensitivities or a very limited diet, go slowly and ask your health visitor or GP for support.

Why children say no

• Taste. Many vitamins and minerals taste bitter or metallic, and children tend to be more sensitive to bitter tastes than adults are.
• Texture and look. A drink that looks cloudy, or a spoonful with an unfamiliar feel, is enough for some children to push it away.
• Control. Young children get to decide very few things, and what goes in their mouth is one of them.
• Too much attention. When a supplement comes with a long explanation, a negotiation or a reward, children quickly learn it is something to resist.
• A bad first go. One unpleasant taste can put a child off the cup, the spoon or the drink it came in for a while.

What usually works

1. Start with something that doesn't taste of much. An unflavoured liquid is far easier to hide than a strongly flavoured one, and you don't have to win them over to a new taste. See 10 easy ways to give liquid magnesium.
2. Mix it into a small amount first. Stir the dose into a few mouthfuls of a drink or yoghurt they like, so the whole dose gets taken, then give them the rest of the drink afterwards.
3. Use a drink or food they already have every day. The morning juice, the beaker of milk at bedtime or a pot of yoghurt after tea all work well.
4. Keep it low-key. Put the drink down as you would any other. There's no need to announce what's in it.
5. Give it at the same time and place. Children accept things more easily when they happen at the same point every day. Read the best time to give a child magnesium.
6. Offer small choices. Let them pick the cup, or choose between milk and juice, while the supplement itself isn't up for discussion.
7. Let older children measure it. From about seven or eight, many children like drawing up their own dose with the oral syringe while you watch.

What to avoid

• Calling it a sweet or a treat. Children who think supplements are sweets may help themselves if they find the bottle. Keep all supplements out of reach.
• Bribes and rewards. A sticker for taking it suggests it's something unpleasant that has to be paid for.
• Hiding it in a large drink. If they only drink half, you won't know how much they had. Use a small amount and top up afterwards.
• Hot drinks. Heat can damage liposomal supplements, so use cold or room temperature drinks.
• Standoffs. If it turns into a battle, leave it for that day and try a different drink tomorrow. Missing the odd day doesn't matter, and you shouldn't give two doses the next day to make up for it. See what to do about a missed dose.

Fussy eaters and sensory differences

Children with a very narrow diet, sensory sensitivities, or conditions such as autism or ARFID may notice even a small change to a familiar drink. Go slowly. Start with part of the dose in their usual drink and build up to the full dose over a week or two, keeping the cup, the drink and the timing the same. If eating is a daily struggle, ask your GP or health visitor about support from a dietitian. There's more in magnesium for fussy eaters and picky eating in children.

Toddlers

For children aged 1 to 5 the dose of our liquid is 2.5ml, which is small enough to stir into a couple of sips of milk or water in a beaker, or a spoonful of yoghurt. Measure it with an oral syringe rather than a kitchen teaspoon. See magnesium for toddlers.

We made our magnesium for kids truly unflavoured for exactly this reason. It mixes into water, milk, juice or yoghurt without changing the taste: 2.5ml a day for ages 1 to 5 and 5ml a day for ages 5 to 14. Once it's going, our guide to making a daily supplement routine stick helps keep it that way.

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Our magnesium
Liposomal Magnesium for Kids (Age 1+) is truly unflavoured, gentle on little tummies, and built for absorption. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.*

*Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult your healthcare provider before use if your child has a medical condition or takes medication.