Know Your ABCs

Vitamin A

• Importance: It’s important because it supports healthy eyesight and night vision; strengthens barriers for better immune health; and maintains and repairs skin and tissues for normal growth.
• Deficiency: Can lead to night blindness (nyctalopia), eye dryness (xerophthalmia), and susceptibility to gastrointestinal and respiratory infections.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 200 µg
• 7–12 months: 300 µg
• 1–3 years: 500 µg
• 4–8 years: 600 µg
• 9–13 years: 900 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 1,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 1,200 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin A

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Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

• Importance: It’s important because it supports development by converting food into usable energy; supports brain development for learning, attention, memory, and coordination; maintains proper heart muscle function; and supports enzyme production for normal cell growth.
• Deficiency: Can lead to brain dysfunction (encephalopathy), high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary arterial hypertension), and high blood acid (metabolic acidosis).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 200 µg
• 7–12 months: 300 µg
• 1–3 years: 500 µg
• 4–8 years: 600 µg
• 9–13 years: 900 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 1,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 1,200 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Thiamin

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Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

• Importance: It’s important because it supports nervous system development; helps convert food into usable energy; is important for DNA repair for healthy development; and supports the immune system.
• Deficiency: Can lead to pellagra (dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia), digestion issues, and skin problems (redness, swelling, cracking, or sensitivity to sunlight exposure).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 2,000 µg
• 7–12 months: 4,000 µg
• 1–3 years: 6,000 µg
• 4–8 years: 8,000 µg
• 9–13 years: 12,000 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 14,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 16,000 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Riboflavin

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Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

• Importance: It’s important because it supports nervous system development; helps convert food into usable energy; is important for DNA repair for healthy development; and supports the immune system.
• Deficiency: Can lead to pellagra (dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia), digestion issues, and skin problems (redness, swelling, cracking, or sensitivity to sunlight exposure).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 300 µg
• 7–12 months: 400 µg
• 1–3 years: 400 µg
• 4–8 years: 500 µg
• 9–13 years: 800 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 900 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 1,100 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Niacin

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Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

• Importance: It’s important because it helps convert food into usable energy; supports productions of neural cells for muscle movement, learning, and memory; is involved in the synthesis of fats, hormones, and red blood cells for tissue development and repair; and supports stress response and immune function.
• Deficiency: Can lead to numbness, fatigue, headache, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disorders.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 1,700 µg
• 7–12 months: 1,800 µg
• 1–3 years: 2,000 µg
• 4–8 years: 3,000 µg
• 9–13 years: 4,000 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 5,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 5,000 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Pantothenic Acid

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Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

• Importance: It’s important because it is essential for making neural cells for brain development; helps in white blood cell and antibody production for immune health; helps break down protein for building muscles and tissues; and regulates sleep, mood swings, and ability to concentrate.
• Deficiency: Can lead to swollen tongue (glossitis), cracked lips (dermatitis), irregular brain signals (electroencephalographic abnormalities), depression, and small-cell anemia (microcytic anemia).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 100 µg
• 7–12 months: 300 µg
• 1–3 years: 500 µg
• 4–8 years: 600 µg
• 9–13 years: 1,000 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 1,200 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 1,300 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin B6

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Vitamin B7 (Biotin)

• Importance: It’s important because it helps convert food into energy; supports cell growth and repair for healthy development; maintains healthy nervous system function; and maintains barriers to protect against infections.
• Deficiency: Can lead to thinning hair, scaly skin, conjunctivitis, seizures, developmental delay, and acidic urine (aciduria).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 5 µg
• 7–12 months: 6 µg
• 1–3 years: 8 µg
• 4–8 years: 12 µg
• 9–13 years: 20 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 25 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 25 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Biotin

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Vitamin B9 (Folate)

• Importance: It’s important because it supports growth and DNA synthesis; formation of red blood cells; production of neural cells for mood regulation, learning, and memory; and white blood cell production for immune health.
• Deficiency: Can lead to vitamin-related anemia (megaloblastic anemia), gastrointestinal issues, ulcerations on the tongue, and changes in skin, hair, or fingernail mucosa.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 65 µg
• 7–12 months: 80 µg
• 1–3 years: 150 µg
• 4–8 years: 200 µg
• 9–13 years: 300 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 400 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 400 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Folate

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Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

• Importance: It’s important because it supports learning, memory, moods, and coordination; production of red blood cells; growth and DNA synthesis; and white blood cell production for immune health.
• Deficiency: Can lead to vitamin-related anemia (megaloblastic anemia), fatigue, weight loss, dementia, infertility, and neurological changes.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 0.4 µg
• 7–12 months: 0.5 µg
• 1–3 years: 0.9 µg
• 4–8 years: 1.2 µg
• 9–13 years: 1.8 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 2.4 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 2.4 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin B12

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Vitamin C

• Importance: It’s important because it supports white blood cells in fighting off infections; is essential for making collagen, which helps with wound healing, and building skin, bones, and muscles; keeps teeth and gums healthy; and helps absorb iron.
• Deficiency: Can lead to scurvy (gum disease, anemia, fatigue, poor wound healing).

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 40,000 µg
• 7–12 months: 50,000 µg
• 1–3 years: 15,000 µg
• 4–8 years: 25,000 µg
• 9–13 years: 45,000 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 65,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 75,000 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin C

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Vitamin D

• Importance: It’s important because it helps absorb calcium and phosphorus for building strong bones and teeth; supports muscle development and function for movement and coordination; and helps the body fight infections.
• Deficiency: Can lead to rickets (soft bones and skeletal deformities), developmental delay, dental issues, seizures, and weak or enlarged heart muscle.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 10 µg
• 7–12 months: 10 µg
• 1–3 years: 15 µg
• 4–8 years: 15 µg
• 9–13 years: 15 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 15 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 15 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin D

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Vitamin E

• Importance: It’s important because it helps protect cells from damage and fights infections; and supports the growth of healthy nerve cells.
• Deficiency: Can lead to nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), involuntary muscle movements (ataxia and skeletal myopathy), impaired vision (retinopathy), and a weakened immune system.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 4,000 µg
• 7–12 months: 5,000 µg
• 1–3 years: 6,000 µg
• 4–8 years: 7,000 µg
• 9–13 years: 11,000 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 15,000 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 15,000 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin E

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Vitamin K

• Importance: It’s important because it helps blood clot to prevent bleeding; and helps build strong bones.
• Deficiency: Can lead to bleeding, risk of osteoporosis, and weakened bones.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 0–6 months: 2 µg
• 7–12 months: 2.5 µg
• 1–3 years: 30 µg
• 4–8 years: 55 µg
• 9–13 years: 60 µg
• 14–18 years (female): 75 µg
• 14–18 years (male): 75 µg

What To Feed Your Little Ones

References: ODS NIH - Vitamin K