- Zinc and many vitamins are important for development. Various vitamins and zinc deficiencies are communal in emerging states.

Objective: The purpose of this is to find out the Effects of zinc with and without multivitamin on growth of school going children after pneumonia.

Methods: Children aged 5-10 attending a school were included. 60 participants were randomised to take multivitamins (200 IU vitamin D, 1,000 IU vitamin A, 10 mg B1, 1 mg B6, 3 mg B2, nicotinamide 40mg, B12 10 mcg) along with zinc chelated zinc glycinate (20 mg elemental zinc) or once daily zinc  treatment was given for 5 days in a week for six-months. The height change from reference value was the primary outcome which was taken significant till conclusion of the analysis. The outcomes which were secondary were variations in body weight. An intent to treat analysis was accomplished.

 Results: The participants average age was 7.36±1.67 years in group A and 7.633±1.73 in group B, with 20(66.7%) of them being men and 10(33.3%) being female in group A and 14(46.7%) being male and 16(53.3%) being female. There is marked increase in height and weight in group B with p-value <0.05

Conclusions: 6-month supplementation with zinc chelated and multivitamins significantly increase height among school going children and was better endured.

Index Terms- zinc, multivitamin, pneumonia