Getting a child to take vitamin and mineral supplements can be difficult - they might find it unpleasant, scary or they don't like the taste/texture/smell etc. They may also not understand why they have to take it.

If your child won't take the supplement on its own, here are some tips to help. Much of this advice will help when taking medicines too.

Talk about it with your child

It is important your child understands why we are asking them to take the supplement. Give explanations using language they understand. We don't want to scare them into taking anything.

If possible, talk to your child and find out why they don't want to take the supplement. It is important to acknowledge their feelings or fears to help find a way forward with them.

Should you tell your child you are putting a supplement in their food?

Overall, it is better not to hide supplements or medicine in children's food if at all avoidable. It can lead to food refusal and a lack of trust.

As their parent you are the best person to judge this. Some supplements are almost flavourless - some children won't notice these added into their food or drink, particularly if the food or drink is strong-tasting. Other children will notice but may still accept this.

For children with complex feeding or ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), adding anything new to their preferred foods could result in them refusing to eat that food again. This is especially a concern if they already have a very limited diet. For that reason, you might decide to give the supplement separately e.g. with some favourite food from a teaspoon, having explained to them it is a supplement or medicine.

Try adding a very small amount to the food and drink and then very slowly increase the dose to build their tolerance and acceptance of the changing taste.

Strategies to support the introduction of a supplement

  • Find out which presentation and flavour your child wants to try (liquid, gummy, tablet, powder etc) and which way they would prefer to take the supplement (from a spoon, syringe, cup, through a straw, mixed in food etc).
  • Ask them where they would like to be when taking the medicine, such as on your knee, on the sofa, in bed, and when they want to take it (in the morning, with a meal, bedtime). Pick a time when there are no other time pressures and you have time to do this with no added stress. Establish a routine and maybe link it to a favourite TV show or activity so there is something positive to do afterwards.
  • A drink of ice-cold water before taking the medicine can reduce the taste.
  • Children are more likely to co-operate if they are given some choice rather than being told what to do. Give limited options such as: Do you want to mix your supplement with apple or orange juice? Do you want to take it before or after breakfast?
  • Stay calm - reducing pressure and anxiety increases the likelihood of your child taking the supplement.
  • Modelling - assuming it is safe for you (e.g. you take your own tablet/chewy multi-vitamin or can use something that looks similar like a gummy sweet) then show your child that taking a supplement is harmless. This can help reduce their anxiety about doing it themselves. Modelling can be successful for those children who struggle to understand spoken instructions as seeing and doing is an effective way to learn.
  • Role playing can be helpful with some children. Pretending to give a favourite toy the supplement can make it more fun and allow them to work through the process.
  • Avoid anxious parent responses - instead hold onto the hope of a positive outcome, acknowledge and discuss any challenges and encourage your child to try again another time. Maintaining a positive attitude is essential.
  • Using rewards can be valuable. What this is depends on your child, but it doesn't need to be expensive It could mean time playing, watching TV, receiving a sticker etc. Rewards should focus on effort and not outcome.

Tips for taking powders, sprinkles and syrups

syrup being poured on spoonThese products are essential for babies and young children who can't yet swallow tablets. They can also be useful for older children as they are more easily mixed into food and drinks.

Sprinkle Preparations

Sprinkles should be added to semi solid foods such as butter/margarine, custard, angel delight, peanut butter, chocolate spread, jam, mashed potato, yoghurts, icing etc. They should be consumed within 30mins or the coating on the sprinkles dissolves and your child will start to taste them.

Powder Preparations

Start with a pinch in drinks and increase gradually until the full dose is achieved. Making up and leaving powder preparations in the fridge overnight helps to get rid of the grainy texture. Powder preparations can also be mixed into a paste and added to foods (follow the manufacturer's instructions).

Liquid Preparations

Pick a flavour your child is already familiar with and enjoys. They may prefer an effervescent (fizzy) supplement if they like fizzy drinks. Additional flavour can be added by mixing it into a familiar drink.

Below are some more examples of foods and drinks powders, sprinkles and syrups can be added into:

  • fruit juices, squashes or flavoured waters
  • milk or milk substitute, milk shake or fruit smoothie
  • fizzy drinks
  • any of the above frozen into lollipops
  • yoghurt, custard, rice pudding or other pudding
  • fruit purée or other preferred baby food pouches
  • peanut butter, cashew nut butter or other nut butter
  • butter or margarine
  • honey, jam, chocolate spread or Marmite
  • melt chocolate and reset with supplements added in (e.g. in ice-cube trays or shaped moulds)
  • pancake mix or sprinkled on pancakes*
  • tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, or other preferred sauce
  • spaghetti bolognese or other pasta sauces*
  • soup*
  • hummus, salsa, or other dips
  • mashed potato

*aim to add supplements after the cooking is completed

Remember, you don't have to start with the full dose.  Even getting a small amount of the supplement will be improving their nutritional intake and we can build the dose up slowly.

Tips for taking tablets and capsules

Some supplements are only available as tablets or capsules. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to advise whether you can open the capsules or crush the tablets. You can then use the tips above to get your child to take the crushed product. If tablets are the only option and they can't be crushed, there are a few things that might help.

Researchers in Canada developed a technique for children involving turning their head to the side or lifting or tipping their head that was successful in all the children they tried it with. The children involved first tried with sweets such as Tic-Tacs or mini M&Ms every night for 14 days. Instructional videos and more information can be found at http://research4kids.ucalgary.ca/pillswallowing.

Tips for taking chewy supplements

chewable vitaminsMany children's vitamin and mineral supplements come in a chewy, sweet like form. Some children may be willing to take this as they resemble sweets they already enjoy. There are many different brands with different flavours aimed at different age groups. Discuss with your dietitian which would be the best option for your child. The nutrient content of chewy supplements is often more limited and sometimes doesn't contain key nutrients.

Remember you don't have to start with a whole supplement.  The child could bite or you can cut off a small piece to start with.  The portion can be increased slowly.

Using social stories

open book with treeSocial stories are short descriptions of a particular situation, event or activity, which include specific information about what to expect in that situation and why.

Social stories can sometimes help to explain things to a child with communication problems. The story is personalised to your child and their individual situation.

The goal of a social story is not to change a childs behaviour, but to help them understand a situation or event and help them cope with that better.

Lots of information on social stories and how to create them can be found at Home - Carol Gray - Social Stories (carolgraysocialstories.com). Your child's school may also be able to help develop a social story for your child.

If your child has autism

If your child can follow instructions and is able to swallow chunky textures without gagging or choking and can swallow liquid without it spilling or causing coughing or gagging then they should be ready to learn pill swallowing. Sensory overload: Teaching children with autism to take medication

  • Shaping is a process, a lot like food chaining, you can use to teach swallowing a tablet. You find the easiest possible start to a task and build from there according to your child's tolerance and success. For example:
    • start by swallowing water only on command
    • then add in very small 'candy' pills (e.g. cake decoration sprinkles) to swallow
    • gradually increase the size of these until the necessary size is reached. This could include half or quarter pill sizes.
    • from there it is possible to start introducing the idea of swapping the sugar 'pill' for the supplement tablet
  • Stimulus fading is a method of introducing something new through many small steps. To do this with a liquid supplement:
    • Present the child with an empty syringe.
    • The child then opens their mouth with the syringe present (it does not need to be close to them).
    • Slowly move the empty syringe closer to their open mouth until it is less than an inch from their face.
    • Next, the child takes water (or another safe fluid) from the syringe in increasing amounts.
    • Introduce the supplement by gradually adding very small amounts until the required dose is reached. Any mixing in should be done with the child knowing and agreeing to avoid damaging their trust in you and support their sense of control.

Your dietitian is: 

They can be contacted on: 

First Dietitians
3rd Floor, Crawley Hospital
West Green Drive
Crawley, RH11 7DR
Email: firstdietitians@nhs.net
Tel: 01737777701

First Community provides front-line NHS community healthcare services in east Surrey and parts of West Sussex.

We provide first-rate care, through our first-rate people, offering first-rate value. For more information visit:  www.firstcommunityhealthcare.co.uk

If you would like this information in another format, for example large print or easy read, or if you need help communicating with us, please contact:

First Community (Head Office)

Call: 01737 775450 Email:  fchc.enquiries@nhs.net  Text: 07814 639034

Address: First Community Health and Care, Caterham Dene Hospital, Church Road, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 5RA.

For office use only: HPD_TS020 v4  Publication date: July 2025