Pediatric Nutrient Deficiencies
Child & Teen Nutrient Deficiencies
Has your child been told they have low iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, or another nutrient deficiency?
Maybe your child seems constantly tired, has difficulty concentrating, isn't growing as expected, or routine blood work revealed a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Perhaps they've been prescribed supplements, but you're unsure why the deficiency developed or how to improve their nutrition moving forward.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.
Nutrient deficiencies are more common than many parents realize and can occur for a variety of reasons. Rapid growth, selective eating, ARFID, food allergies, restricted diets, gastrointestinal conditions, medications, heavy menstrual cycles, or increased nutritional needs during adolescence can all contribute. Identifying and correcting these deficiencies early is important because they can affect energy levels, learning, mood, athletic performance, immune function, and healthy growth and development.
At Kendra's Kustom Nutrition, my goal is to identify the nutrition habits that may be contributing to your child's deficiency while creating realistic strategies to restore and maintain healthy nutrient levels. Rather than simply recommending supplements, I focus on helping families build balanced eating habits that support long-term health whenever possible.
The most common nutrient deficiencies I help children and teenagers manage are iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 deficiencies, although I also work with many other vitamin and mineral concerns. Every nutrition plan is personalized based on your child's medical history, laboratory results, eating habits, growth pattern, medications, and lifestyle.
Together, we may work on:
- Increasing iron-rich foods and improving iron absorption
- Identifying barriers to meeting vitamin D and vitamin B12 needs
- Building balanced meals that naturally provide essential vitamins and minerals
- Supporting children with picky eating, ARFID, food allergies, or restricted diets
- Developing nutrition strategies for vegetarian or vegan children and teens
- Reviewing supplement use and improving consistency when recommended by your healthcare provider
- Preventing future nutrient deficiencies through sustainable eating habits
- Supporting healthy growth, development, energy, and athletic performance
When appropriate, I'm happy to review laboratory results and collaborate with your child's pediatrician, gastroenterologist, hematologist, endocrinologist, or other members of their healthcare team to ensure nutrition recommendations align with their medical care and treatment plan.
I understand it can be frustrating to hear your child has a nutrient deficiency, especially if they're already a selective eater or have other medical concerns. My goal is to make nutrition feel practical—not overwhelming—by helping your family make realistic changes that fit into everyday life while supporting your child's health.
Whether your child has recently been diagnosed with an iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, or another nutrient deficiency, they deserve individualized, evidence-based nutrition care. Together, we'll create a personalized plan that helps restore nutrient levels, supports healthy growth and development, and gives your child the foundation they need to thrive.
