I was told that giving a child with ADHD a cup of coffee in the am will help level out the hyperactivity during the day.. that caffeine will have a reverse effect.. what's the bad side to this? Will having a cup of coffee hurt him in any way?
2006-08-18 00:39:20 · 23 answers · asked by Imani 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
No research has been able to show any adverse consequences from drinking coffee for any age group. In many countries coffee is the drink of choice from a very young age. Much like nicotine, coffee can indeed be a stimulant but one that allows a person to concentrate and focus. Ever notice a smoker looking off into space when having a cigarette? That cigarette gives a moment of solitude during which time the person can think and focus. (Forget about the dangers of smoking to the lungs for a moment.) No harm in trying.
2006-08-18 01:12:52 · answer #1 · answered by Maldives 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am pretty sure that the whole "coffee will stunt your growth" thing was taught to mothers in the mid part of the 20th century because families didn't want to "invest" in milk for their children. Since families were giving the children coffee instead of milk it did stunt their growth a little by depriving them of the added protein, fat, and other nutrients that help children grow to their full potential.
Coffee will settle down a child with ADHD for a little while but the coffee takes away from the nutrients a child needs for growth. It will also not work for very long or consistently. If a child really does have ADHD I would really really urge the parents to try a few of the medications available on a trial basis. If one of them works it will literally be like a magic pill for them. The amounts given wouldn't really affect a "normal" person much. For example people who get "high" or ritalin have to take several times the normal dose to get the effect they're looking for. I would highly recommend that the parents take their child to a specialist who specializes in ADHD such as a psychiatrist. They can truly rule out other disorders and cirmcumstances (such as psycho-teachers) and prescribe the correct doses of medications. Some pediatricians go ahead and give kids ritalin and end up having to give them 30 mg to get the results the teacher wants. A licensed psychiatrist will tell you that 30 mg of ritalin will make a grown man sit in a stupor too!
ADHD does exist! I have seen kids who have totally become reasonable happy bright people under the influence of the medication and been so bad without it even the other students in class have asked "What the hell is the problem with them?" (I teach teens!)
I have done a lot of research into this because I am a teacher and one of my children was thought to have ADHD. His psychiatrist finally decided after a classroom video tape that the teacher was the problem.
2006-08-18 09:29:53 · answer #2 · answered by psycho-cook 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My opinion, Caffeine in any form is not good for a child. I never allowed my children to drink Cola of any sort while they were small and chocolate was a rare treat. I made an exception to Halloween and Easter but even then it was rationed out over the weeks. I found when they did have it they were a little to hyper. It would be best to get a professional opinion on this question.
Type in ADHD and Caffeine in Google and you get a bunch of websites discussing the topic.
2006-08-18 10:08:28 · answer #3 · answered by whtecloud 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The drugs given to kids diagnosed with ADHD are stimulants, and caffeine being a stimulant would run along the same lines.
Lots of old wives tales about coffee and kids, stunts growth, makes their nose grow, puts hair on the chest, etc. If the child likes coffee and it helps, it's better than putting them on drugs.
2006-08-18 08:10:07 · answer #4 · answered by auld mom 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I heard that too, and I heard it really works. Coffee also works for asthma, my aunt swore by it, she had 3 kids with asthma. I would at least try it, coffee is not going to hurt a kid. I'd rather try that than meds. You have to make it tasty though. See if it works.
By the way I drank coffee when I was a kid and most the kids in my family have, my daughter does now. It does not hurt kids, at least it won't make them fat like soda, juice and Kool Aid.
2006-08-18 09:06:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, my little ones don't have ADHD, but a web search turned this up. Seems they have some personal experience with coffee and ADHD. Hope that helps!
http://www.adhdnews.com/testforum/test231.htm
2006-08-18 09:07:01 · answer #6 · answered by ceekryt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure about the reverse effect. I do know its more common place in other countries for children to have coffee.
2006-08-18 07:45:02 · answer #7 · answered by Harley 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been given coffee since I was 9 and it hasn't hurt me in any way.My sister was 13 when she decided to drink coffee and now she is very well and hasn't got any problems.Her daughters,ages 10 and 7 also drink coffee sometimes.And they are OK
2006-08-18 09:03:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/deca-coffee.htm "but should rely on milk, 100 percent fruit juice, and water for most of their beverage needs"
According to a coffee company's website http://www.tastesoftheworld.net/Coffee-ADD-ADHD-Press.html, "No known rigorous medical studies have as yet been conducted to confirm anecdotal evidence"
It MAY be beneficial. But who knows. And really, coffee has no nutritional value, and if they do not drink enough other acceptable liquids, they may become dehydrated.
2006-08-18 09:44:03 · answer #9 · answered by AnswerMom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Costa Rica and the Mother's give the kids here coffee Morning, Noon, and Night if they want it.
Course they are not too smart and would give them a hand gernade to play with if they had one.
2006-08-18 07:53:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋