Is it Safe to Let Kids Have Caffeine?

With energy drinks being all the rage amongst young kids and especially teenagers, it begs the question: how safe is caffeine for our kids? Can (and should) kids have caffeine at all? The issue with teenagers and energy drinks (namely Red Bull and my personal preference, Rock Star) have become such a big deal around here that kids are getting lectured about their consumption of these 'adult' beverages at our local churches. So, is caffeine really a big deal for kids, or is it all just, well, hype?

Turns out, caffeine isn't just a big deal, it can actually be fatal in kids. Pediatricians are quick to point out that parents won't let their kids drink cup after cup of coffee, but turn their heads to that Red Bull or other energy drink. The result? From 2006 to 2008, nearly 1,200 reports of caffeine overdose (toxicity) in children under age 6 have been reported to poison control centers. Caffeine overdose includes nausea, shaking, dizziness, edginess, and in very young children, can cause seizures, tremors, lightheadedness, fainting, and even coma or death.

The problem is in the fact that parents and the kids themselves have no idea how much caffeine they may actually be consuming. It all seems harmless until an overdose occurs, which is less common in teenagers as far as dangerous side effects but nonetheless detrimental. In teenagers, too much caffeine typically will cause a high amount of energy followed by a sudden drop in sugar levels, making a crash that much more likely. Caffeine addiction is a concern as well among teenagers as they strive to attain energy for long hours of study or practice in sports-related activities and learn to depend on caffeine to achieve their daily goals and pressure.

In May of 2011, The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that energy drinks with caffeine and other ingredients, such as taurine, to "have no place in the diet of children and adolescents", finding energy drinks and caffeinated beverages to be unsafe for children to consume due to the unsure levels of caffeine knowingly present. Besides containing unknown amounts of caffeine, most energy drinks are also high in sugar, which can lead children to become overweight or dehydrated. The expert advice? Kids and caffeine just plain don't mix.

Source:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/fun-and-fit-family-11/caffeine-and-kids