You can find caffeine in many products used daily. From that morning coffee you use to get the day started to the soda you drink with lunch, adults worldwide use caffeine.

However, even though many adults consume caffeine, that does not necessarily make the drug safe for children. Children may experience many adverse effects from caffeine consumption.

Believe it or not, most children and adolescents consume caffeine daily. It’s important to understand how caffeine can affect your child’s health.

What Is Caffeine?

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive stimulant in the world, according to the National Institutes of Health. The most common uses of caffeine are to fight fatigue and drowsiness.

You can find caffeine in many sources that involve oral consumption. Some of the sources of caffeine include coffee beans, cacao beans, kola nuts, tea leaves, yerba mate, and guarana berries.

Caffeine is well known to be an additive in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and more. When you consume caffeine, it typically takes 45 to 60 minutes for the effects of the stimulant to kick in. These effects usually last three to five hours.

What Happens If My Child Has Caffeine?

Caffeine consumption in children is a controversial issue. The National Library of Medicine has recorded varying effects of caffeine consumption in children. Just like most drugs or medications, there are possible side effects when using caffeine.

Despite being so widely consumed and safe in limited quantities, caffeine has a long list of adverse effects that range from mild to severe. Some of the side effects can include:

• Anxiety.
• Elevated heart rate.
• Insomnia.
• Irritability.
• Restlessness.

More severe side effects of caffeine consumption can include:

• Arrhythmias
• Disorientation
• Hallucination
• Psychosis
• Seizures

Children are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of caffeine since their bodies and brains are still developing. This also means that most children are more likely to develop a dependency on substances like caffeine.

Along with an increased likelihood of caffeine dependency, some of the potential harms that caffeine can cause in a growing child include:

• Altered sleep cycles.
• Anxiety and depression.
• Iron absorption deficiency.
• Stunted growth.
• Weight loss.

Despite the many concerns regarding children consuming caffeine, there have been positive effects recorded. Children’s physical, mental, and social development clearly show these effects. Caffeine can:

• Aid respiratory functions and serve as a therapeutic treatment for preexisting conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or apnea of prematurity.
• Allow for better physical performance.
• Improve energy distribution in children’s central nervous systems.

However, these positive effects do not fully account for specifications, such as age and dosage. We observe these results in broad cases, but they do not always apply to every child. The best way to determine if caffeine consumption is right for your child is to contact your health care provider.

Caffeine has both positive and negative side effects on children. Because researchers conduct most studies on adults, there is not enough data to conclude whether caffeine is safe for a child to consume — and, if so, how much they can consume.

How Much Caffeine Is Safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says healthy adults can consume about 400 milligrams of caffeine daily without dangerous side effects. However, this number will likely vary depending on a person’s sensitivity to caffeine. The FDA does not have set amounts of caffeine considered safe for children.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) also states that no proven safe amount of caffeine exists for children. However, it advises that children under 12 should not consume caffeine, and children and teens should not consume energy drinks. The AACAP also suggests that children between 12 and 18 limit their caffeine consumption to 100 milligrams per day. This is equivalent to about two 12-ounce cans of cola.

How to tell if my child is abusing caffeine

People, especially children, may find themselves reliant on caffeinated products. They rely on its stimulating effects on the body to boost their energy and alertness.

This is commonly referred to as caffeine abuse disorder, the Journal of Caffeine Research states. This occurs when someone cannot control their caffeine consumption despite the adverse effects it has on their health and well-being.

A good way to tell if your child has a problem with caffeine abuse disorder is to monitor what they’re eating and drinking and how much. See how many cups of coffee or sodas they drink in a day and have an open discussion about limiting their consumption going forward.

Safe Ways to Prevent Harmful Caffeine Consumption

If you have concerns about your child’s caffeine consumption, you can help your child better manage their caffeine intake in many ways:

• Read product labels and ingredient lists — This will help you better understand how much of a particular product your child can safely have.
• Set boundaries over what your child can eat and drink — Avoid letting your child access large quantities of caffeine products to help reduce the risks of adverse effects.
• Talk to your child about their caffeine consumption — Understanding why they consume so much caffeine can help address the issue and find a better solution.
• Talk to your child’s pediatrician, child psychologist, or a mental health professional — They will be able to help you better understand what your child needs to change about their diet.

Of course, avoiding caffeine consumption altogether is the most effective way to avoid its negative side effects. If your child is still struggling with fighting drowsiness and regaining energy, here are a few healthier alternatives to caffeine:

• Chewing ice or gum to stimulate taste buds.
• Drinking water and staying hydrated to help keep drowsiness at bay.
• Eating a healthy snack such as fruits, nuts, and nonfat yogurt to give them a boost of energy.
• Listening to music that won’t cause a distraction.
• Standing up and moving to stimulate their muscles and metabolism.
• Staying in a well-lit area.

If you have concerns about your child’s caffeine consumption, talk to a pediatrician, primary care physician, dietician, or psychologist to discuss your concerns.