Supplementing Your Kids with Calcium: A Parent’s Guide in the U.S.
You probably don’t think about calcium until your child shoots up two inches in a summer and suddenly needs new jeans again. Growth happens quietly… and then all at once. And somewhere in between soccer practice, school lunches, and the occasional “I don’t like milk anymore,” you start wondering if they’re actually getting what their bones need. In the U.S., a surprising number of kids—especially teenagers—don’t hit their daily calcium targets. I’ve seen this a lot with middle school and high school families. Milk drops off. Soda creeps in. Busy schedules win. And then parents start asking the same questions you’re probably asking now: Does my child need a supplement? How much is enough? When does it become too much? Let’s unpack this in a way that makes sense for real life. Why Calcium Matters for Growing Kids Calcium isn’t just “for bones.” It’s the primary mineral stored in your child’s skeleton—about 99% of it lives there. And childhood through adolescence is when most bone ma...