can a child be healthy by only drinking milk?

Question

My four year old grandson only drinks milk, about three pints per day he prefers this to solid food. He looks, and is very healthy. Can a person live on milk alone? I try to tell my Daughter to educate him better with his eating habits, but I think she just takes the easy way out.

Answer 1

It's probably NOT the best diet for a toddler or small child.. However, maybe you can start giving him a multivitamin and mixing Carnation Instant breakfast with his milk.. I do that with my own children and sometimes toss a banana in there for taste.... It would help give him more of the vitamins/minerals he needs.. Or maybe try fruit/vegetable smoothies if he enjoys liquids...

Answer 2

Having a toddler of my own, I sure do understand picky eaters! However, drinking milk alone is not sufficient in the long run. Your grandson is missing out on any vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are not present in the milk. Therefore, over time, this lack of nutrients may cause him harm, or affect his development in some way you may not be aware of.

Maybe your daughter could try giving your grandson milk based foods such as yogurt and fruit smoothies as a way to introduce other foods slowly into his diet. They aren't very solid, but you can disguise a lot of other things in a smoothie! Who knows... maybe your grandson will find a food he likes and will want to try it in it's regular form.

Good luck! I hope this helps :o)

Answer 3

No way, there are other vitamins and minerals that are needed for a growing child that is not present in milk.

Anyway, over 18 oz of milk per day is not good. Milk depleted the iron in the body. He can become anemic.

Why hasn't he been given solids? A good diet is part of parenting, sure it's easy just to give a kid milk all day but come on! The parents should be making more efforts to diversify his diet.

Answer 4

My 2 year old nephew used the be exactly the same.
He would only ever drink milk.
He wouldnt eat any food.
I babysit him 5 days a week while his mum works.
Finally i decided it was enough & i said no milk until you start eating proper food.
When he really was hungry he would eat something instead of filling up on milk,
you just have to be strong & not give in.
Ihope your daughter can do the same for her son as I dont think JUST milk is a healthy diet for such a young child.

Answer 5

No this is not healthy. The fact that he's drinking so much milk is the reason he's not eating solid food. His little tummy is too full! It may be good to try a vitimin packed cereal (in milk) to get him started? Also, children don't know how to starve themselves. If she cuts his milk down to two-three CUPS a day, he will eat when he's hungry enough!

Answer 6

The answer is no. If you tried to live on milk alone you'd become anemic; and even 3 pints of milk a day is insufficient calories for a child that age to grow and thrive. Your daughter should take her son to a nutritionist for some advice.

Answer 7

You can survive getting your calories from ANYTHIGN but your body will not function at its best, nor will it be truely healthy. More than 6 to 8 ounces of milk a day is too much. You are tellign her right.
He can actually be healthier without ANY milk if the calcium is gotten in other means than by drinking that much.

Answer 8

A four year old needs to have a wide range of fresh foods from all food groups to be healthy - just as an adult does.

Answer 9

I think its very dangerous not to eat any other food,4 year old child needs meat ,bread,pasta,fruit and vegetables. he definitely needs solid food in his diet.I'm sorry but your daughter seems very lazy,at least she should take her son to the doctor.

Answer 10

No. Milk is actually not that great for you. It makes blood sugar rise and fall and it's full of fat. It also lacks very necessary vitamins and minerals.