Children's Caffeine Use



Caffeine, which is an important stimulant, has many negative effects on the human body and mind. The most important of these are headaches, insomnia, a significant increase in blood pressure, loss of concentration, miscarriage and very negative effects on bone structure. It is among the most debated foods of recent years. Foods that are taken into the body as caffeine are generally coffee, tea, chocolate and carbonated drinks. At the same time, some medications contain high amounts of caffeine. Children are exposed to large amounts of caffeine from carbonated drinks and chocolate. With the great development of the beverage sector in recent years, children have shown a great tendency towards beverages. Although there are statements in some countries that these drinks will help children grow, this is not true. However, in our country, it is known that this situation is not true and that caffeine has great harms on child development. Adults digest caffeine in the body and children digest caffeine in the same way.



Children and Caffeine Relationship



It is necessary to pay close attention to whether children consume caffeine. It is very important to show the necessary attention to this issue now in order to prevent bigger problems in the future. When giving any market food to children, the content is thoroughly researched and caffeine-free ones are preferred. Caffeine, which is something that children can easily access, is a subject that adults should control. Although there is a lot of research on the effect of caffeine on adults, there is very little research on adolescents and adults. The effect of caffeine is much greater on children at the developmental level. A test was conducted with caffeine on a school-age child. As a result of this test, negative situations such as difficulty in perception and irritability were observed after the child used caffeine. At the same time, other effects of caffeine on children are the problem of falling asleep, insomnia, a rapid increase in blood pressure, lack of concentration, dizziness and increased heart rate. It is not right to allow its use when it has such a harmful effect on children. Although its use in ideal amounts does not cause many problems, very big problems are seen in the body if it is overdone. In addition to all these, it can occur in conditions such as obesity and diabetes.



Excessive Caffeine Consumption in Children



While caffeine consumption has negative consequences even in adults, big problems can arise in children if they consume too much caffeine. The biggest problems include problems such as loss of perception, inability to fall asleep, poor sleep, lack of concentration and heart palpitations. The most ideal times for bone development are during adolescence and childhood. Since caffeine is a nutrient that prevents calcium absorption, bone development in children naturally slows down, and this causes children to not grow taller and develop at normal levels. Another bad side of caffeine is that it causes minerals and vitamins to be excreted from the body through sweat or urine in children who sweat excessively or experience dehydration. At the same time, products containing caffeine contain very high levels of sugar. Examples include cola and chocolate. If these foods are consumed excessively, obesity and diabetes problems will occur in addition to the side effects of caffeine. A study conducted in 2017 found that a child who consumed caffeine experienced restlessness and waking up tired in the morning. In addition to these, conditions such as excessive irritability, disobedience to rules and depression were observed. In America, the effects of carbonated drinks on children's bone development were examined. At the end of this 4-year study, it was proven that they had negative effects on bone development.