Is It Safe to Let Children Drink Coffee ??

[cindy]

what would you say is the right age to let children drink coffee?
does drinking coffee during a pregancy increase the chances of complications?
what is the chances that a child would crave coffee because of the mothers consumption during the pregancy?

just wondering?

 

[NW JAVA]

Cindy, welcome, and from the MAYO clinic in the US:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00549

 

[desert rose]

I think it's save to drink coffee while pregnant, but you should not drink more than 3 cups of coffee, 300 ml each.

 

[Jazhucha]

I think it's bad when children drink coffee, as well as when they drink wine.

 

[CigarSmokingMan]

I think coffee or tea would be better than Mountain Dew !!

 

[unit_number_43]

I would say there is no deffinitive age for allowing a child to drink coffee. But really, how much more energy do your kids need? Odds are they'll hate the taste of it anyway.

If it was up to me, I'd give them a latte made with brewed coffee instead of espresso shots. Still some caffiene, but they'll like the taste more, and they worn't be wired. Plus, they get their daily regiment of calcium. mmm mmm good.

 

[love8me]

a coffee drinker since the age of 4! aha 4 :lol:

i'm a coffee addict but i have self control. taking in too much coffee is not good especially if you have a weak stomache. a cup a day would be okay.

 

[Momgyver]

coffee and stunting growth

Here are some interesting links:
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanheral ... 005111.asp
and this one that has a LOT of info:

http://www.anti-aging-guide.com/41coffee.php

 

[equus007]

from a barista

Please do not inflict your caffine ridden child on the rest of us no matter what you decide. Wired children are more than annoying. I refused to serve anyone under the age of 13 at my shop without their parent being there to control them. Children's brains do not work the same as adults and any drug will have a vastly different effect on them. As to the pregnancy stuff 3 cups is the limit and you should avoid it all together if you are breastfeeding(though they, the health department, say 3 is the limit there as well).

I have always felt that if a child does not have the palate for black coffee then they are not ready for it in any form. Kids will drink anyting with sugar in it and will swill down a vanilla latte just as fast as they will chocolate milk.

 

[FPDoc78]

I some of you might be overreacting a bit here. My daughter has been drinking coffee since she was 2. She is almost 4 and drinks it with just a touch of cream. We control the amount she drinks. Some kids probably can't have caffeine but for those that can why not.

 

[cindy]

thanks for all the replys.....very helpfull

i must agree that i think some parents over react to a certain extent.

 

[likemhot]

is it safe to let children drink coffee

You can drink some coffee while your pregnant, I believe it's primarily the caffeine content that is the concern, so moderation. Children don't need coffee, some tails would say actually will stunt their growth. The seem not to like it anyway, don't "dress it up" for them.
i'd agree to logging on to a medical site for real information, also don't check through sites that deal with homeopathic medicine and that sort.

2cents

 

[demetri]

I'd have to say that it didn't stunt my growth. I started drinking coffee at the age of 7 or 8 and I've managed to grow to 5'5". I'm the same height as my father and taller than both my sister and mother.

I seem to be the median height of relatives on my father’s side.

Granted, I would only sip my father’s coffee. He liked it with 3 creamers and 3 sugars, that and a small cup made it like candy.

 

[PC tuner]

I've been drinking coffee since I was 5 and I haven't noticed any adverse effects yet (I'm 17). My blood pressure is 95/48 so hypertension is certainly not a problem. I'm 6'3" so my height wasn't effected.

My parents never drank coffee with cream or sugar so I was introduced to black coffee and have always liked the taste.

I say, if they like the taste of black coffee and aren't drinking several cups a day let them have it.

 

[Alice2]

Starting your kid on coffee at age TWO? :shock:

I insisted on starting drinking it at age 12 over the uproar of my parents. Coffee time was always such a big deal -- always had to have coffee with lunch and after dinner, and it SMELLED Soooo Gooood!

I agree though that letting a kid have coffee is better than letting them have sugary pop -- or worse, artificially-sweetened pop.