Inside: Are you wondering if your child should drink coffee? There are coffee and children’s advice, including how caffeine affects children, recommended restrictions, and coffee shop alternatives.
Has your child ever asked for a bite of your mocha?
Or did your teen take a walk with Bench Ice Caramel Macchiato at Extra Whip?
And you wondered: is this… okay?
These days, more children are drinking coffee than ever before. Some thanks to coffee shops in every corner (hello, teenage high schools might sell coffee!).
Is that okay? And how much is it?
Kids & Coffee: Things Parents Should Know
Why do kids drink coffee?
So why do kids drink coffee in the first place?
They are tired. Many teenage tweens don’t get enough sleep thanks to early school start times, packed schedules and late-night screen time. Morning coffee or Frappuccinos may feel like simple fixes to increase your energy levels. It’s society. Coffee shops are hangouts, and picking up iced coffee drinks is now a social outing. It’s tasty. Coffee doesn’t taste bitter anymore. With all the syrups, flavors and whipped cream, it feels like a dessert. Coffee culture is popular. It’s no surprise that children want the ritual. Drinking coffee can make children feel “adult.”
How much caffeine does a child have?
Although there are no official guidelines for children’s caffeine intake in the United States, Health Canada has set the maximum limits for age groups and milligrams of caffeine per day.
4-6 years: 45 mg/day or less (about the amount of mini Mocha frappuccino) 7-9 years: 62.5 mg/day or less (about the amount of tall Cafe vanilla frappuccino) 10-12 years: 85 mg/day or less ( About the amount of Grande Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino)
For comparison, 8 ounces of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine.
If your child has multiple caffeinated drinks like soda, coffee drinks, and energy drinks, it can very easily push them onto the limit. Just one energy drink puts these recommended daily limits on children.
What does that mean for health? Research review concluded that “typical medium caffeine consumption” in children and teens is relatively safe, but it is especially true for children with mental health issues. We concluded that 400 mg or more per day can cause “physiological, psychological and behavioral harms.” And the heart problem.
How does caffeine affect children?
Research on caffeine and children is less than that of adults. However, we know that caffeine is a drug that acts as a stimulant. And since children are smaller than adults, the effects of caffeine tend to be stronger for them.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, side effects of caffeine in children include:
Fast or irregular heartbeat rise blood pressure Rapid breathing Anxiety Nausea inhibition Diarrhea Sleep loss
Certain children may be more sensitive to caffeine, AAP says. These include:
Caffeine speeds up heart rate and children taking meth meth for ADHD children breathing, as more boys visit the ER than girls due to caffeine-related issues, sleep with caffeine Children breathing and may have mood issues
Children and teens suffering from anxiety (and many young people do today) as caffeine can strengthen feelings of tension and panic.
Can a child get hooked on coffee?
Like adults, children can depend on caffeine. Regular consumption of caffeine can lead to caffeine addiction and can cause symptoms such as headaches, irritating, and even flu-like emotions.
In extreme cases, an overdose of caffeine can occur. Poison Control Centers receive regular calls regarding caffeine. Thankfully, it’s still rare, but caffeine-related visits to the ER among middle school students doubled between 2017-2023.
Symptoms of mild caffeine overdose include unstable hands and stomach upset. Severe overdose can lead to high blood pressure and seizures.
How much caffeine does popular coffee drinks have?
Here are the amounts of caffeine in Starbucks’ popular drinks (all sizes are 16 oz grande unless stated):
And here are some from other chains (all 16 oz unless stated):
Do other foods and drinks contain caffeine?
There are other sources of caffeine that go beyond coffee-like ice cream, gum and even caffeinated water! This is a sampling of food and drinks and their caffeine content.
Low-caffeine and caffeine-free options
If your child wants something from Starbucks, here are some picks that are low or no caffeine.
Vanilla Cream (Grande): 0 mg Caramel Brule Cream: 0 mg Strawberry Cream Frappuccino: 0 mg Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk Box: 0 mg Double Chocolate Chip Frapccino (Back): 10 mg Chocolate Cookie Cremble Cream Flapccino ( Grand): 25 mg Passion Tango Tea (Grande): 0 mg Hot Chocolate (Grande): 25 mg
And there are some options from Panera:
Hot Chocolate: 0 mg Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea: 0 mg Mango Smoothie: 0 mg
Is the drink at a coffee shop just caffeine?
You can still add sugar to your coffee shop drinks, whether caffeinated or not. Many of these drinks contain more sugar than regular soda cans.
Conclusion
Occasionally coffee shop snacks aren’t a big deal for most kids and teens.
However, they may be caffeine in many places, including energy drinks, pre-workout powder, gum, mint, water, and more. It can be totaled over the course of a day.
More caffeine can lead to addiction, sleep problems, tension, and other health concerns. And some children are more sensitive to the effects.
It’s wise to know how much caffeine your child or teen is gaining overall and understand whether it can affect your sleep, mood, or health in any way It can help.
If your child likes coffee drinks, here are a few things to suggest if you want to try it:
Choose what to order a smaller size decaf or low caffeine option only asks for one of the syrup for a flavorful drink to reduce sugar, but with less sugar, DIY version at home Make a milk-based drink (like this copycat Starbucks vanilla cheeser) also get a milk-based drink to supply children and teens with calcium and vitamin D
