COFFEE TRENDS IN CHILDREN, Secure ?
Believe it or not, toddlers are now among the youngest coffee fan groups. According to a study conducted by the Boston Medical Center in 2015, it turns out 15% of children under five consume about four ounces of coffee every day or about half a cup. The amount is too excessive when compared with age and body size. The study also found that 2.5% of one-year-old children drink coffee and that number increases at the age of two, as reported by www.verywellfamily.com. Is it true that toddlers are suitable for drinking coffee?
Why do toddlers drink coffee?
There are several factors that play a role. Ethnic parents, especially mothers, play a large role in the consumption of coffee in young children. In America, children from white families tend to drink coffee every day — compared to children from Hispanic and Mexican-American families. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also found that children from high-income families tend to consume caffeine compared to children from underprivileged families.
However, in a study in Boston, Hispanic families were more likely to give coffee to their toddlers — moreover the population in Boston was quite high. Researchers know that these families have no reason to make exceptions for toddlers. Interestingly enough, babies and toddler girls prefer the tradition of drinking coffee every day than boys and toddlers.
Accessibility can also be the cause. Later toddlers tend to look at coffee around the house or in the hands of their parents. They also want to be "like Mother" or "like Father" by sipping a cup of their morning coffee. Toddlers learn about the world from the adults around them, so it makes sense that they might want to 'taste' the coffee they see every day.
Impact of coffee on children
In 2014, AAP conducted research on increasing caffeine consumption in children. In their special report, it was noted that 73% of American children consume several types of caffeine every day. The most common drinks are soda, coffee ranks second (in 2009-2010), and energy drinks in third position. FYI, about a quarter of the caffeine consumed by children comes from coffee! Tea is also commonly consumed by children, which starts at the age of two years.
To date, the AAP has not specifically established guidelines for caffeine consumption in children, although they provide recommendations to prohibit children under the age of 12 from consuming any form of caffeine. This recommendation arises due to the rise of consumption of energy drinks, especially among teenagers.
Another study found the dangers of coffee and caffeine consumption, combined with other lifestyles, can cause negative results such as:
- Depression
- Type I Diabetes
- Sleep Disorders
- Obesity
- Anxious
- Increase heart rate
- Change blood pressure
- Nervous
- Stomach problems
- Diarrhea
- Difficult to concentrate
- Throws up
- Restless
- Frequent urination
- Dehydration
Especially in toddlers, two-year-olds who drink coffee or tea between meals actually have three times the chance of being obese when they enter kindergarten. Very high doses of caffeine can also cause seizures and heart attacks — even death. And obviously toddlers are more at risk from the negative effects of caffeine because toddlers have less body mass and their bodies are not so good at processing caffeine.
Until now scientists have not known what the long-term effects of caffeine on the developing brain, especially in infancy, when so much growth and development is happening. The AAP recommends that parents delay caffeine until their child reaches 12 years with a limit of no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.
What should parents do?
The increasing trend in children's coffee and caffeine consumption reflects how many Americans and Indonesian people also think that caffeine is "normal" and without risk. In fact, caffeine is a powerful and stimulant drug — in children it will make it more energized! Therefore, you must be careful when giving it to your child.
Does one sip of coffee mean your child has to face negative health consequences for a lifetime? The answer may be no, but the habit of consuming coffee or tea every day can be something that endangers the health of your child. If it has become a child's habit, you should consult with your doctor to find out the potential impact of caffeine on your child's development.
You also have to talk about the effects of caffeine on children if you want to reduce their habits of consuming tea or coffee. Begin to check labels for drinks or foods that may contain caffeine. If you still want to involve your child in the family tradition of consuming warm drinks, try giving hot chocolate or herbal tea instead of making him a cup of coffee.
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