Energy drinks

[Anonymous]

Kid is ADHD. We give her a certain amount of money every week for lunch (open lunch at high school). The year started off good enough — sometimes she’d take lunch or snacks, sometimes she’d buy at nearby Chipotle or Starbucks. Sometime she wasn’t hungry at all bc of her meds. As the year has gone on, I’ve discovered she starting to live on those stupid energy drinks that so many of the kids are getting hooked on. It’s a habit … and she’s an athlete.

We’ve talked to her about them and how bad they are, as has her Dr, to no effect.

Anyone else’s kid??

I want to stop giving her money for this junk but sometime she does buy actual food. She almost always refuses to take anything from home, unless it’s a bar of some sort. Usually doesn’t get up early enough to eat anything before she leaves either.

[Anonymous]

Does she find the caffeine helps with her ADHD?

[Anonymous]

We have a very bright granddaughter who is on a medication for anxiety and is on the track team. Her mom has pointed out to her that energy drinks are dangerous for teens as her pediatrician said directly last fall that it is even more dangerous for one on medication.
Her PCP said that the cardiologist will always point this out as one of the first things to avoid if a teen is referred. Unfortunately, when at dad's house, there is little thought to what is purchaed except what is cheapest. So the conversation needs to continue.
NBC News last night (Friday) had a segment on a teen whose family believesd drinking such beverages contributed to her sudden death.

[Anonymous]

I’m equally concerned she’s not eating a decent breakfast as I am about the energy drinks. My DD 13 also has adhd and takes Ritalin so is never hungry at lunchtime so doesnt eat at school. I can’t imagine sending her on an empty stomach though. That’s just not an option.
Next year HS starts at 745 which is 25 mins earlier than now but she can eat in the car if need be, even if it’s a smoothie or something

[Anonymous]

I would start buying whatever kinds of bars she wants and stop giving her cash.

[Anonymous]

I would start buying whatever kinds of bars she wants and stop giving her cash.

[Anonymous]

I’m going to re-ask my earlier question, does she find the caffeine helps with her ADHD? If yes, this requires a different approach than if she is just randomly drinking them because it is cool.

[Anonymous]

What kind of energy drinks are we talking about? Gatorade? My kid drinks Gatorade at every sports Prentice or games.

[Anonymous]

This doesn't address the real concern about the energy drinks but you could start by giving a reloadable gift card to Chipotle and Starbucks. Also, focus on getting breakfast into your child. My teen (ASD, ADHD) drinks a protein milk for breakfast at the suggestion of his doctor. We try to also get some other food in him but the milk is the easiest.

[Anonymous]

In order for her to keep getting the cash for open lunch, have her research energy drinks and the bad side of them, you can sit and do it together. Kids don’t know how or why things are bad for them.

And you can talk to her doctor about the medication if it’s so much that she doesn’t eat breakfast OR lunch and THEN needs an energy drink; she’s not on the right meds.

[Anonymous]

Op here — it’s energy drinks like Alani, Celsius, Monster. I wish it was Gatorade.

I have no idea if it helps with her adhd. If I asked, she’d probably say yes bc she wants to keep drinking them. She’s on Adderall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here — it’s energy drinks like Alani, Celsius, Monster. I wish it was Gatorade.

I have no idea if it helps with her adhd. If I asked, she’d probably say yes bc she wants to keep drinking them. She’s on Adderall.

This is probably worth figuring out. If she is essentially self-medicating her ADHD that is a different problem than if she’s just decided it is cool.

[Anonymous]

How many is she drinking? My teen was drinking was Monster a day and when I compared the actual caffeine it was basically like 2 cups of coffee. So I decided that was fine so long as she doesn’t just chug it all at once. We talked about the amount of caffeine and how it could interact with her adhd medication and potentially cause anxiety. Does she have an Apple Watch? That will trigger if it’s giving her heart palpitations.

Also, I absolutely 100% cannot stand it when people say their child “is ADHD.” Would you say your child is diabetes? Your child is cancer? Your child is cystic fibrosis? I feel like that description is so disrespectful.