How much coffee is too much (for a toddler?)

[Anonymous]

This started maybe half a year ago. . . DH gave DS a little taste of coffee and surprisingly he absolutely loved it. At first it was just a little taste off the tip of our fingers, but now at 21 months he wants his own mug of coffee and always asks for more. I always heard that coffee stunts your growth but maybe that's just an old-wives tale. Does anyone know if a few ounces of coffee per day might be harmful to a toddler? Do people commonly give coffee to young children in other countries? DH might be hard to convince so if anyone knows of research studies that would be especially helpful.

[Anonymous]

Is this Irish coffee or just coffee?

[Anonymous]

Oh God, OP. I hope you donned a flak jacket before asking this.

[Anonymous]

I think a tiny bit of coffee in a big mug of milk would be fine. I really liked coffee ice cream as a kid, probably because my dad did too. How does he sleep at night and nap? Is he hyper or pretty mellow? I'd put like an ounce in lots of milk and no refills.

[Anonymous]

have you been swimming with dolphins again?

[Anonymous]

I grew up having cafe con leche. I think when I was very young it was mainly a mug of hot milk with a splash of coffee and sugar. As I got older I think the ratio of coffee to milk increased. Maybe this would work for your toddler?

[Anonymous]

I have no idea, but thought you might like to know that you're not alone. My 2yo nephew insists on a cup of tea every morning. My sister used to buy de-caf for him but doesn't bother anymore.

Perhaps best to buy de-caf coffee, though!

And, if you want him to quit it, you'll have to quit it yourselves. He will just want what you're having (my nephew MUST have it in a big cup like mommy's!).

[Anonymous]

I'd nix the caffeine in it if possible. Other than that, I doubt it's harmful.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP who said give a little coffee in a mug of milk, didn't people used to do this with tea also? I think it was called milk tea, giving small children their own mug of mostly milk flavored with a tea bag to make them feel like they were part of the experience. I don't see any harm doing this with your child. Or you could brew a batch of decaf and keep it in the fridge, mix with some milk and heat it up a little for your DC.

[Anonymous]

You're not from Rhode Island, are you? We Rhode Islanders serve our kids coffee milk (made with coffee syrup). I remember as a kid the choices of milk at school were white milk and coffee milk - no chocolate milk! It cost 15 cents for a little carton. What was that, a half-pint? I ate a ton of coffee ice cream as a kid, too.

Heck, if you're going to kid your toddler coffee, at least make it decaf!

[Anonymous]

I'll say at the outset that I think this is a bad idea. But trying to be open-minded,

This site say that canadians have guidelines for the amount of caffeine (presumably from soda) that is acceptable for a preschooler, one assumes a 4 year old. That amount is 45 mg/day (one coke)

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/caffeine.html

So how much coffee would that be?

According to Mayo Clinic, 8 oz of brewed coffee can range from 95 to 200 mg. So to be within the Canadian guidelines, that works out to between 1.8 and 4 oz depending on the coffee and how it is brewed. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211

Of course a 1 oz shot of espresso might be 90 mg right there: http://www.somacon.com/p147.php

I don't know how you account for the caffeine if you make yours really, really strong. I'd have to say I dump it in the filter and brew, so I would not be comfortable using the Mayo numbers without measuring my coffee according to the directions.

Aside from that, caffeine is cited as a risk factor for bed wetting, which suggests that it might not be compatible with potty training:

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/genitourinary-tract/Pages/Nocturnal-Enuresis-in-Teens.aspx

Caffeine can cause calcium loss in bones:

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/nutrition/Pages/Importance-of-Calcium.aspx

[Anonymous]

My kids have always loved coffee and I have let them finish the cold coffee at the bottom of my mug since they were a year and a half or so.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Everyone on here is so civil! I've been spending too much time on some other parts of DCUM! I agree with the comments about giving decaf - your DC likes the taste and doesn't need that jolt right now!

[Anonymous]

I find this very surprising...because of the withdrawal effects I experience when I don't have my coffee. I'd hate to see that in a toddler. Headache, crankiness, drowsiness...imagine the temper tantrum in toddler who needs his cup of joe!!!

[Anonymous]

I grew up N of the border and we had either a cup of coffee or tea everyday before we went off to school. I think I'm fine and so are my friends. I'm not recommending it just letting you know what happens in other parts of the world.