Children are drinking coffee in record numbers and it is available to them on every corner and in their schools. Children are drinking 2 to 4 cups a day and when you begin to think about all the caffeine sources children get such as coffee, soda pop, chocolate candy, etc., they are getting far more caffeine than they should.

Kids are saying it keeps them aware and more awake so they can do homework and get everything done that needs to be done. Children who drink excessive amounts or get caffeine from other sources become hyper and can’t settle down.  They can’t concentrate or focus.  In addition to these mental side effects, there are negative physical side effects as well.

Caffeine is a diuretic which means it causes the body to make urine whether it needs to or not.  And when the body makes urine, you lose fluid, and when kids are drinking a caffeinated beverage, they’re not re-hydrating themselves.  

Calcium is important to build strong bones and children need to build strong bones in their youth, we don’t have the ability to do that as efficiently when we’re adults. The caffeine is limiting their ability to retain the calcium they need to build strong bones.

We ask a lot of our teenagers these days; to go to  soccer, play piano, and stay up and do three hours worth of homework at night and for some of those kids, the caffeine might actually help them get it done , so the problem might be what we’re asking them to do.