Caffeinated Kids

Most parents, myself included, wouldn’t give a second thought to letting their kids eat chocolate or indulge in a soda every once and a while. But would I ever give him a cup of coffee? No way. This is why I nearly keeled over when an old teacher colleague of mine told me last week that a parent of one of her students actually blamed a poor test grade on the fact that she hadn’t had her morning latte. Grade Six? All that caffeine can’t be good on a young body. So, I did a little research.

Caffeine is a natural ingredient found in the leaves, seeds or fruit in a variety of plants, such as tea leaves, coffee and cocoa. It is added to carbonated drinks and some over the counter medications and is defined as a drug because it affects the central nervous system and is considered addictive.

People who are sensitive to caffeine can suffer from:
*sleep problems
*headaches
*anxiety
*irritability.

More seriously, it can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and affect calcium balance and bone health. It has also been potentially linked to reproductive and newborn health. It is recommended that healthy adults not consume more than 450 milligrams of caffeine a day (about 3 cups of coffee).

Children are at greater risk for the behavioural affects of caffeine, such as mood changes, attentiveness, and alertness. Children who consume too much caffeine are more likely to suffer from frequent stomach aches, head aches and have difficulty sleeping. It can also aggravate heart problems or nervous disorders and some children may not know they are at risk.

Canadian guidelines recommend that preschool children get a maximum of 45 milligrams of caffeine a day. That's equivalent to the average amount of caffeine found in a 12-ounce can of soda or four 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bars. So, how much caffeine are your children really consuming? Well, one can of Coke has 34 mg; a can of diet coke has 45mg; 5oz of brewed coffee has 115; 8oz of chocolate milk has 5mg; and tablet of cold medicine has about 30mg. (Taken from Kids Health .)

What is the best way to cut caffeine out of your children’s daily food and drink intake? First and foremost, eliminate soda and chocolate from your child’s diet. Encourage them to drink water, fruit juice or milk and keep tabs on the amount of candy your child eats. Second, make sure you wean them off caffeine slowly and understand that without their daily "fix" your child may become irritable, tired, and achy. Of course, you can allow your children to indulge in a can of soda or a chocolate bar once in a while. For any healthy diet, moderation is key and a little caffeine won’t do any to derail your attempts to keep your child caffeine free.

For more information, please visit Health Canada or www.KidsHealth.org.