Who benefits? Be careful with medical information in social media!

As a result, parents are increasingly inundated with information that is often backed by a major commercial interest. One paediatrician colleague spoke of an "anarchy of information" that parents are exposed to on the networks.

The best example: Food supplements (NEM), i.e. omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iodine, etc. Parents are increasingly being told that there will be more or less dramatic health consequences if they don't give their child this or that supplement very quickly. The scientific data is quite simple: the German Society for Nutrition clearly states that children and babies need vitamin D and, in certain cases, iodine for a certain period of time. Otherwise, there are no recommendations for food supplements.

And yet this is often presented differently on social media. This creates pressure for parents to buy certain supplements for their children. What you should know: The market for food supplements in Germany has an annual turnover of 4.2 billion euros! That's why you should always check carefully and critically when such information is disseminated online: Who is behind it? Are there any commercial interests involved?

The whole thing is a growing burden in two directions: we serious paediatricians have to invest more and more time in relieving parents of the worry that their children will suffer a deficiency if they don't supplement with A or B. And parents are stressed anyway. And the parents are punished anyway: in addition to the already high "mental load", they are made to worry even more about the "optimisation" of their children and to pull out their wallets.

The time, money and energy spent on this would be much, much better invested in spending time together and relaxing with the children - and this would also help their health in the long term.