Do you know what your teen is drinking? If they鈥檙e enjoying coffee, energy drinks and bubble teas, they might be drinking too much caffeine.
鈥淚 see teens going on group dates to coffee shops and they have a favorite coffee drink that they enjoy,鈥� said , a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 really realize how much caffeine is in it.鈥�
Brown points to a recent in Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to its findings, 1 in 4 parents say their teen consumes caffeine every day, or
nearly every day.
Brown urges parents to understand the dangers that too much caffeine can pose for young people.
鈥淚 really see a lot of children with sleep issues these days,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, the first thing I ask about is how much coffee or caffeine they could be consuming.鈥�
In addition to sleep issues, Brown said the stimulant can increase a teen鈥檚 heart rate and anxiety, and also cause reflux in some children.
And many times, parents aren鈥檛 aware of how much caffeine teens are consuming because much of it can be hidden, especially in desserts and specialty drinks like Boba teas.
鈥淎re they going for that chocolate ice cream before bed?鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot more caffeine in coffee compared to chocolate 鈥� but it all adds up. Especially if you鈥檙e having it regularly.鈥�
Among the reasons teenagers say they reach for caffeinated drinks: They鈥檝e become a favorite beverage, their friends drink them or they use caffeine to stay awake.
鈥淚 hear about teens having coffee or soda after school, and they鈥檙e feeling tired at the end of the day and about to settle into their homework,鈥� said Brown, who recommends 鈥渢rying to go for a walk, or drink some ice water instead of those caffeinated drinks.鈥�
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages teenagers from consuming drinks with caffeine altogether. According to the Mott report, 鈥渙ther experts suggest a limit of 100 milligrams per day for teens.鈥� Some popular energy drinks can contain about three times that amount of caffeine 鈥� or more 鈥� in a single can.
Brown advises parents to talk with their children about the dangers of too much caffeine. And she tells teens to kick the habit slowly.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to go cold turkey,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd if you鈥檙e drinking a lot of caffeine, you could end up with some withdrawal headaches. Just each day, try to drink a little bit less until you鈥檙e able to avoid it altogether.鈥�
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